DUSHANBE, August 11, 2014, Asia-Plus – International media sources report that aa civilian airliner has crashed moments after it took off from Iran”s capital Tehran, killing at least 39 people on board and narrowly avoiding more fatalities on the ground.
The plane was reportedly headed from Mehrabad Airport to the eastern city of Tabas when it crashed about 9:18 am on Sunday (local time).
It plummeted into the Azadi neighbourhood, just west of central Tehran, close to a residential area for military families.
Initial reports said all 48 passengers and crew on board had been killed, but state media later reported that some passengers had been injured and transferred to hospital.
Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) said eight or nine had survived and quoted a doctor as saying that one of the injured had regained consciousness.
The passengers included two infants and three children under the age of 12, IRNA said.
Iran”s deputy transport minister Ahmad Majidi said the Antonov An-140 turboprop plane was run by Sepahan Airlines.
An engine shutdown caused the plane to crash, according to IRNA.
An aircraft tailfin bearing Sepahan”s dolphin logo could be seen sticking out of the road as security forces cordoned off the crash site.
Mehrabad Airport is near central Tehran and is Iran”s main domestic hub and by far the busiest of the country”s airports, serving routes to all Iranian cities.
Most international flights take off from Tehran Imam Khomeini International Airport, which is located further west of the Iranian capital.
The ASP news agency reports that Iran”s aviation sector has suffered repeated crashes, which have been blamed by Iranian politicians on international sanctions. Those sanctions have reportedly restricted Iranian carriers from buying new aircraft.
