AP sources: Plane lands in Iran amid mix-up

The Cayan tower, the world’s tallest twisted tower stands at Dubai’s Marina. AFP file photo

WASHINGTON — A commercial aircraft chartered by the U.S.-led military coalition in Afghanistan for a flight to the Persian Gulf city of Dubai was re-routed to Iran on Friday, apparently because of a mix-up over its flight plan, U.S. officials said.

The plane was allowed to depart after several hours on the ground in southern Iran. The State Department later confirmed that it had landed in Dubai.

The plane was flying from Bagram airfield north of Kabul to Dubai. The normal flight path goes through Iranian airspace.

One official said Iranians radioed the plane’s crew to say they did not have the proper paperwork and to return to Bagram. The pilots said they did not have enough fuel to return so the Iranian authorities told them to land in Iran.

A senior State Department official said the issue appeared to have been resolved after the plane landed at Bandar Abbas in southern Iran. The officials were not authorized to be named and spoke on condition of anonymity.