Mahan Air passenger plane's engine part falls off mid-air with hundreds on board

No one is thought to have been injured in the incident

Pilots decided to make an emergency landing at Mehrabad Airport (file image) (Rex Features)

An Iranian passenger plane has landed safely after a part from one of its engines fell off during a flight with hundreds of people on board.

A total of 426 passengers and crew members were aboard the Mahan Air plane when the piece detached and crashed into a nearby field.

The aircraft, which had been due to fly from Mehrabad Airport in Tehran to the port city of Bandar Abbas, was forced to return and make an emergency landing at the airport, Tasnim News Agency reported.

It was reported that Faramarz Sarvi, deputy head of private airline Mahan Air, told state TV the decision to return was made two minutes after take-off when, “a piece of engine number three came off and hit the body of the plane”.

Passengers were able to travel to their destination on another aircraft.

Mr Sarvi said all the normal inspections and checks had taken place before the plane left the airport. Tasnim News Agency quoted him as saying the incident was under investigation.

No injuries have been reported.

Images have been posted on Twitter showing the engine piece that fell off.

Previous plane crashes in Iran have been blamed on ageing aircraft and poor maintenance.

In 2014, a passenger plane crashed into a residential area near Mehrabad, Tehran, reportedly killing at least 38 people on board.

Additional reporting by AP