Iranian Air Force C-130 crash in Tehran
Encyclopedia
The 2005 Iranian Air Force C-130 crash occurred on 6 December 2005 (Azar 15, 1384) at 14:10 local time (10:40 UTC) when an Iran
ian Air Force
C-130E
military transport aircraft
, 5-8519, c/n 4399, crashed into a ten-floor
apartment building in a residential area of Tehran
, the capital city of Iran.
The aircraft
, bound for Bandar Abbas
on the Persian Gulf
, was carrying 10 crew and 84 passengers, of whom sixty-eight were reportedly journalists
en route to watch a series of military exercises off the country's southern coast.
The exact cause of the crash is not yet known, but the pilot
reported engine trouble shortly after takeoff. The pilot unsuccessfully attempted to make an emergency landing at the city's Mehrabad International Airport
, from where the aircraft took off. The aircraft came down in a densely-populated
area of Towhid
, crashing into an apartment building where many Iranian Air Force
personnel reside.
Iranian State media reported a death toll of 128 victims, although some other news agencies reported a toll of 116. All 94 on board the plane were killed.
said that all 94 people on board, including 40 journalists, were killed upon impact. State radio reported at least 34 people were confirmed dead on the ground, putting the official death toll at 128. An Interior Ministry Spokesperson, Mojtaba Mir-Abdolahi, has confirmed that 116 corpses have been recovered from the site.
The Mehr news agency reports 40 journalists on board worked for the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting
, and the others were from the Islamic Republic News Agency
, Iranian Students' News Agency
and Fars News Agency
, and several newspapers.
Iason Sowden of Global Radio News
in Tehran said there were reports of charred bodies on the ground near the crash site. Sowden also said that one wing of the plane was lying in front of the building. Initial pictures shown on Sky News
and CNN
showed complete chaos at the scene. Earlier in the day, all children were advised to stay at home due to high levels of smog and pollution.http://www.breitbart.com/news/2005/12/07/051207142123.aly585ah.html
The number of wounded victims is still unclear. Reuters
reported that 28 people were transported to a nearby hospital. Iranian state radio reported that 90 people sustained serious injuries. Doctor Panahi, head of Tehran's rescue services, was quoted in an interview with the Iranian Students' News Agency
as saying that 132 had been wounded.
. An emergency landing was requested, but the aircraft crashed just short of the runway.
According to the BBC World Service
, allegations have surfaced that the crew restarted the aircraft's engines five times prior to take-off, but Iranian officials have fiercely denied this.
reported that riot police were called in to control onlookers who were blamed for blocking the access of emergency workers.
reported that journalists at the scene were attacked by Iranian security forces, who confiscated their tapes.
as a military transport aircraft crashed in southern Iran.
sanction
s, Iran is unable to buy new Western aircraft (whether commercial or military), nor spare parts for existing aircraft from U.S. manufacturers. American-built military planes now operating in Iran were purchased under the old regime during the 1970s. Iranian officials blame the country's poor aviation record on the sanctions.
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian Air Force
Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force
The Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force ' is the aviation branch of the Iranian armed forces. The present Air Force came into being in the early 1980s when the former Imperial Iranian Air Force was renamed....
C-130E
C-130 Hercules
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built originally by Lockheed, now Lockheed Martin. Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally designed as a troop, medical evacuation, and cargo transport...
military transport aircraft
Cargo aircraft
A cargo aircraft is a fixed-wing aircraft designed or converted for the carriage of goods, rather than passengers. They are usually devoid of passenger amenities, and generally feature one or more large doors for the loading and unloading of cargo...
, 5-8519, c/n 4399, crashed into a ten-floor
Storey
A storey or story is any level part of a building that could be used by people...
apartment building in a residential area of Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
, the capital city of Iran.
The aircraft
Fixed-wing aircraft
A fixed-wing aircraft is an aircraft capable of flight using wings that generate lift due to the vehicle's forward airspeed. Fixed-wing aircraft are distinct from rotary-wing aircraft in which wings rotate about a fixed mast and ornithopters in which lift is generated by flapping wings.A powered...
, bound for Bandar Abbas
Bandar Abbas
Bandar-Abbas or Bandar-e ‘Abbās , also Romanized as Bandar ‘Abbās, Bandar ‘Abbāsī, and Bandar-e ‘Abbās; formerly known as Cambarão and Port Comorão to Portuguese traders, as Gombroon to English traders and as Gamrun or Gumrun to Dutch merchants) is a port city and capital of Hormozgān Province on...
on the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
, was carrying 10 crew and 84 passengers, of whom sixty-eight were reportedly journalists
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
en route to watch a series of military exercises off the country's southern coast.
The exact cause of the crash is not yet known, but the pilot
Aviator
An aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
reported engine trouble shortly after takeoff. The pilot unsuccessfully attempted to make an emergency landing at the city's Mehrabad International Airport
Mehrabad International Airport
Mehrabad International Airport is an airport that serves Tehran, Iran. It was the primary airport of Tehran in both international and domestic passenger traffic but has been replaced by Imam Khomeini International Airport in most of its international flights...
, from where the aircraft took off. The aircraft came down in a densely-populated
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
area of Towhid
Towhid
Towhid is a city in and the capital of Helilan District, in Shirvan and Chardaval County, Ilam Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 604, in 132 families....
, crashing into an apartment building where many Iranian Air Force
Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force
The Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force ' is the aviation branch of the Iranian armed forces. The present Air Force came into being in the early 1980s when the former Imperial Iranian Air Force was renamed....
personnel reside.
Iranian State media reported a death toll of 128 victims, although some other news agencies reported a toll of 116. All 94 on board the plane were killed.
Casualties
Tehran mayor Mohammad Bagher GhalibafMohammad Bagher Ghalibaf
Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf is the current Mayor of Tehran, Iran.-Early life and military career:Ghalibaf was born to a Khorasani Kurdish father and a Persian mother. At the age of nineteen, he was one of the commanders of the defense forces during the Iran–Iraq War...
said that all 94 people on board, including 40 journalists, were killed upon impact. State radio reported at least 34 people were confirmed dead on the ground, putting the official death toll at 128. An Interior Ministry Spokesperson, Mojtaba Mir-Abdolahi, has confirmed that 116 corpses have been recovered from the site.
The Mehr news agency reports 40 journalists on board worked for the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting
Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting
Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcaster, or IRIB, , formerly called the National Iranian Radio and Television until the Islamic revolution of 1979, is a giant Iranian corporation in control of radio and television which is among the largest media organizations in Asia and Pacific region, and a regular...
, and the others were from the Islamic Republic News Agency
Islamic Republic News Agency
The Islamic Republic News Agency , or IRNA, is the official news agency of the Islamic Republic of Iran. It is government-funded and controlled under the Iranian Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance. The agency also publishes the newspaper Iran. , the Managing Director of IRNA is Ali Akbar...
, Iranian Students' News Agency
Iranian Students' News Agency
The Iranian Students News Agency is a news organization run by Iranian university students. Established on November 4, 1999 in order to report on news from Iranian universities it now covers a variety of national and international topics. Editors and correspondents are themselves students in a...
and Fars News Agency
Fars News Agency
Fars News Agency is a news agency in Iran. While it describes itself as "Iran's leading independent news agency", news organizations such as CNN and Reuters describe it as a "semi-official" news agency with ties to the government...
, and several newspapers.
Iason Sowden of Global Radio News
Global Radio News
GRNLive is based in London, United Kingdom, and was founded in 2000 by Henry Peirse. It's origianl name was Global Radio News.GRNLive represents 1000 journalists who report upon demand to major news organisations, including CBC, , http://www.rte.ie/, , , and . GRN’s news correspondents are...
in Tehran said there were reports of charred bodies on the ground near the crash site. Sowden also said that one wing of the plane was lying in front of the building. Initial pictures shown on Sky News
Sky News
Sky News is a 24-hour British and international satellite television news broadcaster with an emphasis on UK and international news stories.The service places emphasis on rolling news, including the latest breaking news. Sky News also hosts localised versions of the channel in Australia and in New...
and CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
showed complete chaos at the scene. Earlier in the day, all children were advised to stay at home due to high levels of smog and pollution.http://www.breitbart.com/news/2005/12/07/051207142123.aly585ah.html
The number of wounded victims is still unclear. Reuters
Reuters
Reuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...
reported that 28 people were transported to a nearby hospital. Iranian state radio reported that 90 people sustained serious injuries. Doctor Panahi, head of Tehran's rescue services, was quoted in an interview with the Iranian Students' News Agency
Iranian Students' News Agency
The Iranian Students News Agency is a news organization run by Iranian university students. Established on November 4, 1999 in order to report on news from Iranian universities it now covers a variety of national and international topics. Editors and correspondents are themselves students in a...
as saying that 132 had been wounded.
Engine problems
According to the police, the pilot reported engine difficulties minutes after takeoffTakeoff
Takeoff is the phase of flight in which an aerospace vehicle goes from the ground to flying in the air.For horizontal takeoff aircraft this usually involves starting with a transition from moving along the ground on a runway. For balloons, helicopters and some specialized fixed-wing aircraft , no...
. An emergency landing was requested, but the aircraft crashed just short of the runway.
According to the BBC World Service
BBC World Service
The BBC World Service is the world's largest international broadcaster, broadcasting in 27 languages to many parts of the world via analogue and digital shortwave, internet streaming and podcasting, satellite, FM and MW relays...
, allegations have surfaced that the crew restarted the aircraft's engines five times prior to take-off, but Iranian officials have fiercely denied this.
Rescue operation
Eyewitnesses, whose accounts were carried on the BBC World Service, have stated that emergency crews arrived within three minutes of impact. SBS World NewsSBS World News
World News Australia is the news service of the Special Broadcasting Service. Its flagship nightly bulletin is broadcast at on SBS One with additional weeknight 'late' bulletins at on SBS One...
reported that riot police were called in to control onlookers who were blamed for blocking the access of emergency workers.
Journalists attacked
BBC NewsBBC News
BBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
reported that journalists at the scene were attacked by Iranian security forces, who confiscated their tapes.
Iranian aircraft disasters
This crash is the deadliest aviation disaster in Iran since February 2003 when 302 people were killed2003 Iran Ilyushin Il-76 crash
The 2003 Iran Ilyushin Il-76 crash was the deadliest aircraft accident in Iran. The crash, on February 19, 2003, killed 302 people, most of them members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. That crash marked the third Il-76 crash in Iran.-Cause:...
as a military transport aircraft crashed in southern Iran.
U.S. Sanctions
Due to U.S.United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
sanction
Economic sanctions
Economic sanctions are domestic penalties applied by one country on another for a variety of reasons. Economic sanctions include, but are not limited to, tariffs, trade barriers, import duties, and import or export quotas...
s, Iran is unable to buy new Western aircraft (whether commercial or military), nor spare parts for existing aircraft from U.S. manufacturers. American-built military planes now operating in Iran were purchased under the old regime during the 1970s. Iranian officials blame the country's poor aviation record on the sanctions.
Footnotes
- : Tragedy strikes Tehran; Mehr News
- : Iran Plane Crashes Into Building; 128 Dead APAssociated PressThe Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
, via ABCNews.comABC NewsABC News is the news gathering and broadcasting division of American broadcast television network ABC, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company...
: "At least 128 people were killed". - : Iranian plane crash leaves 116 dead ReutersReutersReuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...
, via the ABCAustralian Broadcasting CorporationThe Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
: "Minutes after take off the pilot reported engine trouble and requested an emergency landing at Tehran's Mehrabad airport, but crashed just short of the runway, police said." - : Update 19: Fiery Plane Crash in Iran Kills 128 People APAssociated PressThe Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
via Forbes.comForbesForbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
: "90 were injured, Tehran state radio said." - : Iran: Plane Crash in Tehran Kills All Passengers
- : Update: Tehran Plane Crash Death Toll At 119
- : U.S. Treasury Sanctions Guidelines: Iran
External links
- Update 19: Fiery Plane Crash in Iran Kills 128 People APAssociated PressThe Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
via Forbes.comForbesForbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week... - Scores die in Iranian air crash at BBC NewsBBC NewsBBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
- Plane Hits Iran Building at Sky NewsSky NewsSky News is a 24-hour British and international satellite television news broadcaster with an emphasis on UK and international news stories.The service places emphasis on rolling news, including the latest breaking news. Sky News also hosts localised versions of the channel in Australia and in New...
- Iranian plane crash leaves 116 dead ReutersReutersReuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...
, via the ABCAustralian Broadcasting CorporationThe Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster... - 110 killed in Iran plane crash at CNNCNNCable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
- 116 killed in Tehran air crash at RTÉRTERTÉ is the abbreviation for Raidió Teilifís Éireann, the public broadcasting service of the Republic of Ireland.RTE may also refer to:* Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, 25th Prime Minister of Turkey...
- Iranian press mourns plane crash victims - RSFReporters Without BordersReporters Without Borders is a France-based international non-governmental organization that advocates freedom of the press. It was founded in 1985, by Robert Ménard, Rony Brauman and the journalist Jean-Claude Guillebaud. Jean-François Julliard has served as Secretary General since 2008...