Asia

Asia

Iran official dismisses plane crash due to airport problems

18 January 2011 21:18 (UTC +04:00)

"Reports that lack of facilities at the airport of Orumiyeh city caused Boeing 727 plane crash are not correct," Javad Mahmoudi told a press conference.

The deadly plane crash in northwestern Iran last Sunday killed 78 and left some 26 others injured.

Iranian Minister of Road and Transportation Hamid Behbahani has already said that the incident came due to bad weather and the pilotâ€™s lack of vision.

"Orumiyeh airport is equipped with Isabel Pass Airport (ISL) system which paves the way for the plane to make a landing in winter," Mahmoudi said.

He reiterated that, "on the day of the incident, the plane reached over airport runway in Orumiyeh at 7:25 pm when the pilot was in contact with control tower, but the plane was not placed just over ISL system due to the pilotâ€™s lack of vision, so he should have taken the plane higher and put it exactly on the system."

"The pilot took the plane higher, but he had declared that he intended to return to Tehran in his last contact with control tower."

"No doubt that the plane crash was due to problems occurred inside the plane," he added.

The shocking event came as the plane was heading from capital Tehran to Orumiyeh.