IRANIAN PLANE CRASH COULD HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY ENGINE FIRE – TV

RIA Novosti
July 15, 2009
YEREVAN

The fatal crash of an airliner in Iran on Wednesday is believed to
have been caused by a fire in one of the engines, Armenian state
television reported.

The report did not give a source for the information.

Meanwhile, Iran’s English-language Press TV said that the aircraft
attempted an emergency landing due to a technical malfunction, but
the plane burst into flames and crashed.

TV pictures of the crash site showed scorched earth, scattered
fragments of plane and a few charred pieces of clothing and personal
belongings. Emergency services said the plane was completely destroyed
and there was no hope for survivors.

The Russian-made Tupolev airliner was en route from Tehran to the
Armenian capital, Yerevan, when it crashed on a farm near the city of
Qazvin, 16 minutes after takeoff from the Imam Khomeini International
Airport.

Iranian state TV channels quoted a spokesman for the Iranian Civil
Aviation Organization as saying 153 passengers and 15 crewmembers
were on board the Tu-154 owned by Caspian Airlines.

A spokesman for the Caspian Airlines in Iran said, however, that
there were 154 passengers, including two children, and 16 crewmembers
on board.