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Scores killed in Iran plane crash Scores killed in Iran plane crash
(about 3 hours later)
All 168 passengers and crew have died in a Caspian Airlines plane crash in the north of Iran, officials say. All 168 passengers and crew have died in a Caspian Airlines plane crash in northern Iran, officials say.
Wreckage was spread over a large area in a field in Jannatabad village, Qazvin province, about 75 miles (120km) north-west of Tehran, state TV said.Wreckage was spread over a large area in a field in Jannatabad village, Qazvin province, about 75 miles (120km) north-west of Tehran, state TV said.
The Tupolev plane was flying from the Iranian capital to Yerevan in Armenia, with mostly Armenian passengers. The Tupolev plane was flying from the Iranian capital to Yerevan in Armenia, with mostly Iranian passengers.
The cause of the crash, which happened soon after take-off, was not known. Witnesses said it dropped from the sky. The cause of the crash, which happened soon after take-off, was unknown. One witness said it plummeted from the sky.
In pictures: Iran plane crashIn pictures: Iran plane crash
"The 7908 Caspian flight crashed 16 minutes after its take-off from the International Imam Khomeini Airport," Iran's Aviation Organisation spokesman, Reza Jafarzadeh, was quoted by Iranian Press TV as saying. "The 7908 Caspian flight crashed 16 minutes after its take-off from the International Imam Khomeini Airport," Iranian Aviation Organisation spokesman Reza Jafarzadeh said, reported Iran's Press TV.
An eyewitness said the plane dropped out of the sky and exploded on impact. He said no problems were reported before take-off and there would be a full investigation into the cause of the crash.
Iranian media reported officials confirming the deaths. At Yerevan's airport, one woman wept as she said her sister and two nephews, aged six and 11, had been on the flight.
Mohammad Reza Montazer Khorasan, the head of the disaster management centre at Iran's health ministry said: "All people aboard... the crashed plane are dead," according to AFP news agency. "What will I do without them?" said Tina Karapetian, 45, before collapsing.
The Qazvin Fire Department Chief said residents began calling emergency services about noon local time after seeing thick smoke. It was earlier reported that most of the passengers were Armenian, but officials later said the majority on board were Iranian.
"After going to the crash scene and scouting, we found that the area of the disaster is very wide and wreckage of the crashed plane have been thrown around as far as 150 to 200m," he said. A Caspian Airlines spokesman told Reuters news agency up to 25 of the passengers were Armenians.
Television footage showed a massive crater in a field, with smouldering debris over a wide area. There were also two Georgians on the plane, which had 153 passengers and 15 crew.
'Big explosion'
One witness said the Tu-154 circled briefly looking for an emergency landing site, while another said the plane's tail was on fire.
A man who saw the crash said the aircraft exploded on impact.
ANALYSIS Jon Leyne, BBC News Iran has a notoriously bad air safety record. Because of sanctions imposed by the United States, Iran relies on an increasingly ageing fleet of airliners, and has trouble buying spares.ANALYSIS Jon Leyne, BBC News Iran has a notoriously bad air safety record. Because of sanctions imposed by the United States, Iran relies on an increasingly ageing fleet of airliners, and has trouble buying spares.
There are tales of aircrew buying spare parts on flights to Europe, then sneaking them back to Iran in the cockpit. While those sanctions don't apply to aircraft from Russia and Ukraine, many planes from those countries in the Iranian fleet also appear well past their best.There are tales of aircrew buying spare parts on flights to Europe, then sneaking them back to Iran in the cockpit. While those sanctions don't apply to aircraft from Russia and Ukraine, many planes from those countries in the Iranian fleet also appear well past their best.
For some people, flying in Iran can be a nerve-wracking experience. Stepping on board, it often becomes quickly apparent you are in a plane that has done many years service.For some people, flying in Iran can be a nerve-wracking experience. Stepping on board, it often becomes quickly apparent you are in a plane that has done many years service.
There are also frequent delays because of the shortage of aircraft. Iranian engineers and aircrew do their best to keep their fleets in service.There are also frequent delays because of the shortage of aircraft. Iranian engineers and aircrew do their best to keep their fleets in service.
Mr Jafarzadeh said there were no irregularities reported before the plane took off. "I saw the plane crashing nose-down. It hit the ground causing a big explosion. The impact shook the ground like an earthquake. Then, plane pieces were scattered all over the fields," 23-year-old Ali Akbar Hashemi told AP news agency.
"The regulations of the State Aviation Organisation do not allow a plane to take off before security of the plane is 100% approved," he told Iranian television. Eight members of Iran's national junior judo team and two coaches were on the flight, heading for training with the Armenian team.
"As to why this happened and what problem the plane ran into, we will need to carry out a thorough investigation of all contributing elements." Mohammad Reza Montazer Khorasan, the head of the disaster management centre at Iran's health ministry, said: "All people aboard... the crashed plane are dead," according to AFP news agency.
The plane was built in Russia in 1987. Television footage showed a massive crater in a field, with smouldering debris over a wide area.
A Caspian Airlines representative told Associated Press news agency that most of the passengers were Armenians, with some Georgian citizens also on board. The Qazvin Fire Department Chief said: "The area of the disaster is very wide and wreckage of the crashed plane has been thrown around as far as 150 to 200m."
It was unclear if other nationalities were involved.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad offered his condolences to the families of the victims.Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad offered his condolences to the families of the victims.
Ten members of Iran's national junior judo team were reported to be on the plane, ahead of training with the Armenian team. IRANIAN PLANE CRASHES Feb 2006: Tupolev crashes in Tehran, kills 29 peopleDec 2005: C-130 military transport plane crashes near Tehran, kills 110Feb 2003: Iranian military transport plane crashes in south of country, kills all 276 on boardDec 2002: Antonov 140 commuter plane crashes in central Iran, kills all 46 people on boardFeb 2002: Tupolev crashes in west Iran, kills all 199 on board class="" href="/2/hi/in_depth/2008892.stm">Air disasters timeline
IRANIAN PLANE CRASHES 6 December, 2005: A C-130 military transport plane crashes on the outskirts of the Iranian capital Tehran, killing 110 people, including some on the ground 19 February, 2003: An Iranian military transport aircraft carrying 276 people crashes in the south of the country, killing all on board 23 December, 2002: An Antonov 140 commuter plane carrying aerospace experts crashes in central Iran, killing all 46 people on board class="" href="/2/hi/in_depth/2008892.stm">Air disasters timeline The plane was built in Russia in 1987.
The BBC's Jon Leyne said the country was reliant on air transport, but it had been three years since the last crash. It was the third deadly crash of a Tupolev Tu-154 in Iran since 2002.
The civil and military fleets are made up of elderly aircraft, in poor condition due to their age and lack of maintenance. The BBC's Jon Leyne says Iran's civil and military air fleets are made up of elderly aircraft, in poor condition due to their age and lack of maintenance.
Since Iran's Islamic revolution of 1979, trade embargoes by Western nations have forced Iran to buy mainly Russian-built planes to supplement an existing fleet of Boeings and other American and European models. Since the Islamic revolution of 1979, trade embargoes by Western nations have forced Iran to buy mainly Russian-built planes to supplement an existing fleet of Boeings and other American and European models.
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