A cargo plane crashes in a residential area in Karaj
A cargo plane crashed into residential buildings in the beautiful town of Dasht-e Karaj. The plane is said to have taken off from Kyrgyzstan and belonged to the Iranian military. The extent of the damage and possible casualties is not yet clear.
A cargo plane crashed near Karaj on Monday morning (January 14). According to the Tabnak news site, the pilot of the plane was unable to control the plane while landing at Fath Airport, and after leaving the end of the runway, the plane first hit the airport wall and then a building located in the Zibadasht residential area of Karaj.
The incident occurred at 8:30 a.m., and according to the CEO of the Alborz Province Red Crescent Society, residential houses caught fire after the plane hit. Nasser Charkhsaz told ISNA that firefighting operations and a search for possible casualties are currently underway.
According to local media, the plane took off from Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan and was headed to Payam Airport in the Mehrshahr region of Karaj. It is not yet clear why the pilot landed at Fath Airport. Some reports say the pilot landed at Fath Airport “by mistake.”
The Fars News Agency, citing “news sources,” reported that the plane belonged to the Iranian Air Force and was carrying “meat cargo.” The crashed plane was a Boeing 707 and had ten passengers.
Fars quoted a spokesman for the country's emergency organization as saying the number of passengers was 16.
Referring to the proximity and similarity of the two airports, Fath and Payam, an expert told Fars: "The flight chart for Payam Airport and Iran's AIP (aeronautical information document) must state that there is an airport with a similar runway and direction nearby so that the pilot does not make a mistake. If it is a foreign flight, these conditions must be observed much more strictly."
According to the CEO of the Alborz Red Crescent, eight rescue teams have been dispatched to the scene of the incident.
Fars quoted a spokesman for the country's emergency organization as saying, "Of the 16 passengers on board, only the flight engineer got out of the plane alive."
There is still no exact information about the extent of damage and possible casualties, as well as the fate of the residents of the residential house that the plane hit.
Source: DW
