New Delhi: Iran was shaken by the untimely demise of President Ebrahim Raisi following a helicopter crash in a mountainous area of the country last night. Despite the profound loss, the Iranian government issued a statement today affirming that operations would proceed “without the slightest disruption.” “We assure the loyal nation that the path of service will continue with the tireless spirit of Ayatollah Raisi,” the statement emphasized, reassuring citizens that the government’s work would carry on seamlessly.

Reflecting on History: 10 Aircraft Disasters Claiming Political Leaders

1. Arvid Lindman, Prime Minister Of Sweden (1936) Salomon Arvid Achates Lindman, a Swedish rear admiral and two-time Prime Minister, tragically perished on December 9, 1936. Thick fog led to the Douglas DC-2 he was aboard crashing into houses near Croydon Airport in the United Kingdom shortly after takeoff.
2. Ramon Magsaysay, President of the Philippines (1957) Ramon Magsaysay, renowned for his anti-corruption stance, met his end on March 17, 1957. His plane, known as “Mt. Pinatubo,” crashed into Mount Manunggal in Cebu, Philippines, with only one survivor among the 25 passengers.
3. Nereu Ramos, President of Brazil (1958) On June 16, 1958, Nereu Ramos, interim president of Brazil, lost his life when the Cruzeiro do Sul airliner he was on crashed near Curitiba Afonso Pena International Airport in Parana.
4. Abdul Salam Arif, President of Iraq (1966) Abdul Salam Arif, pivotal in Iraq’s 1958 revolution, died on April 13, 1966, when his Iraqi Air Force plane, a de Havilland DH.104 Dove, crashed near Basra. His brother succeeded him as president.
5. Humberto de Alencar Castelo Branco, President of Brazil (1967) Humberto de Alencar Castelo Branco, Brazil’s 26th President, met his demise on July 18, 1967, when his Piper PA-23 Aztec collided mid-air with a Brazilian Air Force Lockheed T-33 after his presidency ended.
6. Sanjay Gandhi, Indian politician and Congress leader (1980) Sanjay Gandhi, son of former prime minister Indira Gandhi, tragically died on June 23, 1980, losing control of his aircraft at Delhi’s Safdarjung airport.
7. Rashid Karami, Prime Minister of Lebanon (1987) Rashid Karami, Lebanon’s frequently elected Prime Minister, was killed on June 1, 1987, when a bomb exploded in his helicopter en route to Beirut.
8. Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, President of Pakistan (1988) General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, Pakistan’s sixth President, passed away on August 17, 1988, when his C-130 Hercules aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff from Bahawalpur under mysterious circumstances.
9. Madhavrao Scindia, Indian Politician and Congress leader (2001) Madhavrao Scindia, a prominent Congress leader, perished in a plane crash on September 30, 2001, near Mainpuri, Uttar Pradesh, when his private Beechcraft King Air C90 caught fire mid-air.
10. Sebastian Pinera, President of Chile (2024) Sebastian Pimera, the former President of Chile, met his demise in February 2024, when his helicopter crashed into a lake in southern Chile. His significant contributions to Chilean politics, marked by two non-consecutive terms as president, leave a lasting legacy.