Plane crashes in Iran killing all 66 aboard

TEHRAN, Feb 18, 2018 (AFP): An Iranian passenger plane on a domestic flight crashed into the country's Zagros mountains on Sunday killing all 66 people on board, officials said.

The Aseman Airlines flight left Tehran's Mehrabad airport around 0800 (0430 GMT) for the city of Yasuj in Isfahan province, said Mohammad Tabatabai, director of public relations for the airline. The plane crashed into Dena mountain, part of the Zagros range, around 23 kilometres (14 miles) from Yasuj, some 500 kilometres south of the capital, he told state broadcaster IRIB.

"After searches in the area, unfortunately we were informed that the plane crashed. Unfortunately, all our dear ones lost their lives in this incident," said Tabatabai. The plane was carrying 60 passengers, including one child, as well as six crew, he added.

A helicopter sent by Iran's national emergency services was unable to land at the site of the accident due to severe weather, its spokesman said.

The Relief and Rescue Organisation of Iran's Red Crescent said it had dispatched 12 teams to the region.

"Given the fact that the area is mountainous, it is not possible to send ambulances," Mojtaba Khaledi, spokesman for the national emergency services, told ISNA news agency.