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Scores killed in Iran plane blaze Scores killed in Iran plane blaze
(about 2 hours later)
A passenger plane has burst into flames upon landing in Iran's north-eastern city of Mashhad, killing at least 80 people, state television reports. A passenger plane has burst into flames on landing in Iran's north-eastern city of Mashhad, killing at least 80 people, Iranian state TV reports.
The plane is said to have been travelling from the port city of Bandar Abbas in southern Iran. The Russian-built jet was carrying 147 people from the port city of Bandar Abbas in the south. Reports say dozens of people managed to escape the blaze.
There are reports that dozens of people managed to escape the blaze. The fire began when the Tu-154 skidded off the runway at 1345 (1015 GMT), possibly because of a burst tyre.
The fire began when one of the plane's tyres burst as it was landing, Iranian television said. It is not clear if the fire has been fully extinguished. Mashad, the site of a Shia shrine, is a popular destination for pilgrims.
The Russian-built Tupolev jet was carrying 147 passengers, reports say. Television pictures show a broken, partially charred plane lying on the side of a runway as firefighters tackle the smouldering wreck.
Mashhad is located some 1,000 km (620 miles) north-east of Tehran and is a major pilgrimage destination for devout Shia Muslims. State TV later said that 50 to 60 passengers had been evacuated from the aircraft, some with minor injuries.
But a spokesman for Iran's Civil Aviation Organization, Reza Jafarzadeh, said the death toll and the cause of the incident were still not clear.
Air disaster history
The BBC's Teheran correspondent, Frances Harrison, says Mashad, which lies 1,000 km (620 miles) north-east of Tehran, is a major pilgrimage destination for devout Shia as it houses the shrine of Imam Reza.
Iran has a terrible record of airline safety, our correspondent says.
One reason for this is US sanctions which prevent the Iranian government from buying spare parts for their ageing fleet or purchasing new aircraft from major aviation companies in the west, she adds.
Planes from the airline involved, Iran Air Tours, crashed in 2002, 1993 and 1992 - on all occasions, there were no survivors.