MASHHAD, Iran — Passengers aboard a domestic Iranian flight experienced moments of terror when their aircraft suffered a mechanical breakdown mid-air, causing violent shaking that brought down parts of the interior cabin ceiling before making a successful emergency landing.
The Sepehran Airlines Boeing 737 was en route from Mashhad to Kermanshah when trouble began shortly after takeoff. According to preliminary reports, the aircraft suffered a tire burst on its landing gear during or shortly after departure. The tire failure reportedly triggered subsequent engine-related issues, sending intense vibrations surging through the entire airframe.
Videos captured by passengers inside the aircraft show the cabin shaking violently, alarming travelers as sections of the ceiling panels detaching and crashing down into the aisle. Overhead luggage bins rattled aggressively as flight crew worked to maintain order during the escalation.
Recognizing the severity of the failure, the flight crew declared an emergency and immediately turned the Boeing 737 back toward Mashhad Airport. Pilots executed a precautionary landing, bringing the battered jet safely back to the tarmac without further incident.
Despite the dramatic structural damage inside the cabin and high level of panic, authorities confirmed that no injuries were reported among the passengers or crew members on board.
Hassan Jafari, a spokesperson for Sepehran Airlines, stated via Iranian state media that all passengers disembarked safely and were subsequently transferred to an alternate aircraft to complete their journey to Kermanshah. The runway at Mashhad Airport was temporarily closed for a safety assessment and cleanup before operations resumed later in the day.
Aviation authorities have launched an investigation to determine the exact sequence of events, focusing on how the initial landing-gear failure led to engine trouble and severe structural resonance within the cabin.
