DUBAI, August 10 (RIA Novosti) – Several passengers survived in the crash of a passenger plane Iran-140, a modification of Russian An-140, near the Tehran’s Mehrabad airport, Fars news agency reported Sunday citing an official from Iran’s Ministry of Transportation.
“The plane went down four miles from the takeoff strip. We suspect that it changed the route after the takeoff, some passengers received injuries and were taken to the hospital,” the source said.
The official added that the plane crashed in the woodlands, which explained the lack of casualties or damage on the ground.
The airport representative earlier said that all 40 passengers and eight crew members who were on board the crashed aircraft died. The engine shutdown was named as a possible cause of the tragedy.
The turboprop Iranian plane, owned by one of the local airlines, was en route from Tehran to the city of Tabas in eastern Iran. The plane crashed early Sunday almost immediately after the takeoff near the international airport in the western part of Iranian capital.
