World
Sepehran Airlines Boeing 737 Makes Emergency Landing in Mashhad Following Tire Issue
A Sepehran Airlines Boeing 737, en route from Mashhad to Kermanshah, Iran, performed an emergency landing in Mashhad on Tuesday after experiencing a landing gear tire loss shortly after takeoff. During the landing, sections of the aircraft's cabin ceiling detached, as reported by Brazilian news outlet UOL, citing Iran’s Razavi Khorasan provincial government. A video from Iranian news agency Akharin Khabar depicted the cabin ceiling lining falling onto passengers, exposing internal aircraft structures. UOL confirmed that no passengers sustained injuries and all were safely evacuated. The incident occurred around 5:39 pm local time. The aircraft developed a problem shortly after takeoff, prompting pilots to declare an emergency and return to Mashhad. Initial reports from R7, another Brazilian news outlet, suggested a tire burst during takeoff, though this remains unconfirmed. The exact technical issue was not immediately disclosed. Sepehran Airlines spokesman Hassan Jafari, citing Iran’s state-run Fars news agency, stated that passengers disembarked safely and were transferred to an alternative flight to Kermanshah. The runway at Mashhad airport was temporarily closed for assessment and later reopened. This incident follows another Sepehran Airlines Boeing 737-500 accident at Mashhad on August 25. In that event, a Sepehran Boeing 737-500, flight IS-4310 from Tehran to Mashhad with 127 people aboard, veered off the runway after landing, resulting in the collapse of its nose landing gear. Passengers and crew were reported safe, and Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization initiated an investigation. Airportia, referencing the Aviation Herald, noted that the aircraft, registration EP-FSF, departed runway 13L and stopped on runway 13R after the nose gear collapsed.