Iran Plane Crashes and Kills 168
An Iranian passenger plane crashed shortly after takeoff on Wednesday, carrying 168 people. The plane nose-dived into a field just northwest of the capital, shattering into pieces and catching on fire. Officials have said that all of the passengers on board were killed in the worst air disaster Iran has seen in 6 years.
Before the plane crashed, its tail was on fire while it circled in the air, according to a witness. Ali Akbar Hashemi, a nearby witness, said that they saw the plane crashing nose-down, and it hit the ground in a big explosion. The impact felt like an earthquake, the witness added, and then pieces of the plane were scattered all over the fields.
The plane’s crash made a deep trench in the dirt field, littering the land with body parts, smoking wreckage and personal items. Firefighters put the flaming wreckage out, which covered more than a 200 yard area, according to officials.
Iran has seen a number of crashes during recent years, and their airlines have had bad luck with maintenance issues. Part of this has to do with the carriers being chronically strapped for cash, preventing them from buying new planes. Officials have often blamed US sanctions that prevent them from updating American aircrafts bought before the Islamic revolution in 1979 and making it difficult to get spare parts or planes in Europe.
The airlines and the military have turned to Russian-made planes more and more, and this was the case with this aircraft. Russian planes aren’t affected by sanctions; however, they have seen many accidents with them, with two other crashes in Iran during the last 10 years killing almost 140 people.