Mahan Air passenger plane crash-lands in northeastern Iran, injuring 11

Mahan Air passenger plane crash-lands in northeastern Iran, injuring 11

2011-09-04 15:11:05 GMT+7 (ICT)

MASHHAD (BNO NEWS) -- Several people were injured on late Saturday evening when a Mahan Air passenger plane crash-landed at an airport in northeastern Iran, state-run media reported on Sunday.

The accident happened at around 10.30 p.m. local time when Flight 613, an Airbus A310-300, was attempting to land at Mashhad International Airport, which is the country's second busiest airport after Tehran's Mehrabad Airport. The flight originated from Tehran, the country's capital.

The state-run Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported that the front landing gear of the aircraft had failed upon landing, but it did not specify whether it meant a tire had burst or if the landing gear collapsed completely.

"The emergency team of Mashhad city rushed to the site and found that the aircraft was damaged due to a bad landing, which led to the injury of some passengers," one medical official told another state-run news agency, the Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA).

The official said Mashhad Airport has an emergency clinic where eight passengers were treated, while three others were sent to an area hospital for further treatment. None of the injuries are believed to be serious.

Iranian aircraft are frequently involved in accidents, which the Iranian government blames on sanctions by other countries which prevents airlines from buying spare parts and carrying out proper maintenance.

Earlier this year, on January 9, a total of 77 people were killed when Iran Air Flight 277 crashed during bad weather conditions near Urmia Airport in northwest Iran. Twenty-eight others survived.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-09-04