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IRN | Jul 11, 2024

Iranian engineer killed in Boeing freak accident

Nathan Roper

Nathan Roper / Our Today

Reading Time: 2 minutes
Technician Abolfazl Amiri was doing his routine maintenance work when the incident occurred at Chabahar Konarak airport in southern Iran. (Photo: Newsweek.com)

Routine maintenance work turned deadly for Iranian ground engineer Abolfazl Amiri, who was killed after getting himself sucked into the still-running turbine engine of a Boeing aircraft on July 3.

Preliminary reports suggest that Amiri was on duty at the Chabahar Konark airport in Iran’s south, near the Pakistani border by the Gulf of Oman.

The commercial jet had arrived at Chabahar Konark from Tehran earlier in the day at about 7:15 AM.

Following this, as part of regular aircraft assessment, the right engine on the Boeing 737-500 jet was
turned on to check if it was operating at optimal levels. The protective covers over turbines were
removed, and the stationary plane revved up its engine.

Amiri, who had previously been working on that section of the aircraft, realised that he had left a tool
near the engine, and returned to retrieve it. However, the spinning turbine’s pull immediately overpowered the mechanic, sucking him inside the engine.

When jet turbines are tested on the ground, a small safety/exclusion zone is mandated as proper protocol, to prevent such accidents as the one that befell the Iranian technician. Reports indicate that such a zone was established, but Amiri was able to get past it anyway.

Boeing 737 engines are capable of up to 15,000 rotations per minute (RPM). It is this power which
enables these aircraft to fly at rates more than 800 miles per hour. Against such inhuman forces,
Abolfazl Amiri stood no chance, with his body being chopped up by the spinning turbine.

Amiri’s corpse would also cause additional hazards, with the engine subsequently catching fire, the
flames threatening to spread to other parts of the plane. The quick arrival and actions of the
fire brigade would help avert any further catastrophe, with Amiri’s remains then being removed.

The Boeing 737-500 in question is part of Iran’s Varesh domestic airline. The aircraft has been grounded
for damage assessment and repairs, and Iran’s aviation authority has announced that it has commenced
an immediate investigation into the matter.

The Iranian aviation authority has promised to release further information once it becomes available.

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