A Sepehran Airlines Boeing 737, en route from Mashhad to Kermanshah, experienced an incident around 5:39 PM on 15/9. The pilot initially reported an engine problem to passengers, then decided to return to Mashhad and declare an emergency. The aircraft shook violently during the return, leading to significant damage to a section of the cabin ceiling and overhead bins, according to a statement from Iran's Razavi Khorasan provincial authorities.
Video released by Iranian news agency Akharin Khabar showed parts of the cabin ceiling lining falling onto passenger seats, revealing some of the aircraft's structural framework. Items from the overhead bins also fell, striking passengers.
The aircraft landed safely in Mashhad. Passengers were evacuated and re-booked on another flight to Kermanshah, Hassan Jafari, a spokesperson for Sepehran Airlines, told Fars news agency. Initial reports suggested a landing gear tire may have burst during takeoff. The exact cause of the cabin ceiling collapse and the nature of the emergency landing incident remain under investigation. Mashhad airport's runway was temporarily closed for inspection but reopened the same day.
This marks the second recent incident involving a Sepehran Airlines aircraft in Mashhad. On 25/8, a company Boeing 737-500 carrying 127 people on a flight from Tehran to Mashhad veered off the runway after landing and its front landing gear collapsed.
Iran's aviation industry has faced a shortage of civilian aircraft since the 1990s due to thousands of US-led sanctions. In 2022, lawmaker Alireza Pakfetrat stated that sanctions have caused both the quantity and quality of Iran's aircraft to deteriorate daily.
Iran has maintained its aviation sector over the years through intermediary partners, regional aircraft leasing agreements, and periods of eased tensions following the 2015 nuclear deal, according to research from the Vien Washington in the US.
On 8/9, the US Department of the Treasury imposed sanctions on 36 additional targets, including 27 Iranian airlines. The department accused these entities of supporting Tehran's sanctioned aviation network in acquiring aircraft, parts, and technology. Sepehran Airlines was included in this list.
Former US Department of the Treasury official Kerri Bitsoff stated that these measures could broadly impact Iran's aviation industry, as all aircraft are heavily dependent on US-origin equipment and technology. By Thanh Danh (Based on reports from Indian Express, Gulf News, Iran International)
