Technical data from fallen Turkish jet still inaccessible: Iranian Aviation Authority

TEHRAN

The Iranian Aviation Authority on March 16 said the fallen Turkish airplane’s technical information was still inaccessible, despite the recovery of the part of the black box that revealed cockpit conversations.

Following a meeting held by the Iranian Air Association regarding the death of 11 women, including two pilots and a cabin attendant, in western Iran on March 11, the authorities said Canadian specialists would also take part in the investigation process, as the plane was Canadian made.

The Bombardier Challenger 604 was carrying Mina Başaran, the 28-year-old daughter of the prominent Turkish businessman Hüseyin Başaran, and seven of her friends. The group had spent several days in the U.A.E. celebrating ahead of her wedding the following month.

The hen party was also intended for three of the other passengers, who were due to marry this summer. Several of the victims, including Mina, had enjoyed successful careers in the fashion industry.

The Turkish media reported that at least one of the killed women was pregnant, which made headlines across Turkey and received wide-spread attention on social media.

The flight took off on March 11 from Sharjah in the U.A.E.

Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization on March 11 said the plane crashed at 6:09 p.m. after the pilot requested to descend due to a “technical problem.”

The crash comes less than a month after a twin-engine passenger plane of Iran’s Aseman Airlines crashed in the Zagros range, killing all 66 people on board. 

The Aseman plane went off radar after taking off from Tehran on a domestic flight as a snowstorm battered the mountains.