Iranian flight plunges, makes emergency Ankara landing

An Iranian passenger aircraft travelling from Istanbul to Tehran made an emergency landing at Ankara

ANKARA: An Iranian passenger aircraft travelling from Istanbul to Tehran made an emergency landing at Ankara International Airport after reportedly developing a serious technical problem during the flight.

According to sources, Iranian Flight 7282 departed from Istanbul at 11:43am Pakistan Standard Time with Tehran as its destination. The flight initially proceeded normally after takeoff.

At around noon, the aircraft was reportedly cruising at an altitude of approximately 35,000 feet when a sudden technical malfunction occurred. The aircraft subsequently began losing altitude, prompting the crew to take emergency measures.

The pilot formally declared an emergency at approximately 12:13pm. During the emergency descent, the aircraft rapidly lost altitude and reportedly descended to around 10,975 feet.

Sources said the aircraft later disappeared from radar at an altitude of approximately 7,815 feet. It reportedly reappeared on radar around five minutes later at an altitude of about 5,150 feet.

As the situation developed, the pilot contacted Ankara Air Traffic Control and requested permission to divert the aircraft to Ankara for an emergency landing.

The request was granted, and the aircraft landed safely at Ankara International Airport at approximately 12:29pm.

Following the landing, security and emergency personnel immediately moved into position around the aircraft. The plane was surrounded as a precaution and subsequently transferred to a designated area of the airport.

Sources said the aircraft remained at Ankara Airport following the emergency landing. Its engines were reportedly still running while the aircraft remained under observation.

There were no immediate reports of casualties or injuries following the landing.

The exact nature of the technical malfunction has not yet been officially disclosed. It is also unclear whether the problem involved the aircraft’s engines, flight-control systems or another critical component.

A technical inspection is expected to determine what caused the aircraft to lose altitude so rapidly during the flight.

The incident comes as aviation authorities continue to maintain strict emergency procedures for aircraft experiencing technical problems while operating in international airspace.