Iranian Airliner Skids Off Runway, Many Dead

Although airlines have always been quick to emphasize the overall safety record of flights, it should be noted that they generally note x accidents per y miles. As airline travel goes up, so does the probability of an accident.

In this case, Aria Air Flight 1525, caught fire at 6:10 PM with 153 passengers and seven crew members aboard, according to Press TV. The plane was a Russian-made Ilyushin Il-62, had taken off from Tehran. Besides the deaths, currently reported to be 30, 21 others were also injured.

Meanwhile, AP, citing a different source, stated that that the tires of the plane caught fire during landing and it crashed into walls near the runway.

Exact details are sketchy, but the picture of the plane shows a great deal of damage, particularly to the front section of the aircraft. Iran's air safety has never been stellar, with many of its crashes involving its fleet of Russian planes designed and built during time of the Soviet Union.