Mohsen Arouji, the operations deputy of Qeshm Air, stated that "no incident" occurred for the airline's aircraft at Istanbul Airport in Turkey. On Friday, April 21, he told the Central News Unit: "The issue that news agencies referred to as an incident relates to four to five days ago when the pilot noticed an object had entered the aircraft's engine and refrained from flying." Arouji added that this object was a "piece of rubber" that the "pilot noticed in time and shut down the aircraft." He emphasized that "in aviation, such cases are not referred to as incidents." These statements come as the official news agency of the Islamic Republic (IRNA) and Turkish media reported an "explosion of one of the engines" of Qeshm Air's Airbus on the runway of Atatürk Airport in Istanbul. According to these reports, although the engine explosion caused it to catch fire, damaged the right wheel of the aircraft, and scattered parts of the aircraft on the runway, no one was harmed, and the pilot managed to stop the aircraft. Another discrepancy exists between Arouji's account of the timing of the incident, which he claims was "four to five days ago," whereas media reports indicated it occurred a day prior (Thursday, April 20). Passengers of the flight were transferred to Tehran on another aircraft.
Qeshm Air Deputy Refers to Istanbul Incident: These Are Not Incidents
Mohsen Arouji, a Qeshm Air official, claimed that no incident occurred at Istanbul Airport, contradicting reports of an engine explosion. The incident involved a rubber piece entering the engine, which the pilot managed to handle without injuries. This matter is significant as it highlights discrepancies in official narratives and media reports regarding aviation safety.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
Qeshm Air's aircraft was reported to have an engine explosion at Istanbul Airport, but the airline's deputy claimed it was a minor incident involving a rubber piece. No injuries occurred, and passengers were safely transferred to another flight.
- The incident involved a rubber piece entering the aircraft's engine.
- Reports of an explosion and fire were disputed by Qeshm Air's official.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Iranian aviation has faced scrutiny due to past incidents and sanctions affecting its fleet and maintenance capabilities. The safety of its airlines is a critical issue for both domestic and international stakeholders.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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Translation confidence: 85%