Military helicopter crashes into busy market in central Iran, 4 killed

Four people were killed after an Iranian Air Force helicopter crashed into a fruit and vegetable market in Dorcheh town of Isfahan province on Tuesday. The incident occurred during a training flight, according to state television, and resulted in fatalities both onboard the aircraft and on the ground. The province is home to one of Iran’s key nuclear facilities.

State media reported that the pilot and co-pilot were killed in the crash. Footage from the site showed debris scattered across the market area with smoke rising from the wreckage. Two civilians on the ground also died after the helicopter struck the crowded marketplace. The crash took place around 330 kilometres south of Tehran.

Isfahan province hosts a major air base and the Isfahan Nuclear Technology Center, one of Iran’s principal nuclear research and fuel production complexes. The facility includes a uranium conversion plant, fuel fabrication units and research reactors. Following airstrikes in 2025, the site underwent fortification work, with reinforced and in some cases buried tunnel entrances.

The latest crash marks the second aviation incident in less than a week. Recently, an F-4 fighter jet went down near the western city of Hamedan, killing one of its pilots. The string of accidents has renewed focus on aviation safety concerns.

Iran has witnessed multiple fatal aviation accidents over the years. Western sanctions have restricted access to aircraft parts, leaving the country reliant on an ageing fleet of helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft for both military and civilian operations. In May 2024, a helicopter carrying former president Ebrahim Raisi crashed in East Azerbaijan province, killing all eight people on board, including senior officials.