All 65 killed in plane crash

ALL 65 passengers and crew were killed in a plane crash in Iran yesterday when the domestic flight came down in bad weather in the mountains.

An Iranian carrier, the twin-engined turboprop ATR 72 operated by Aseman Airlines, was flying to the southwestern city of Yasuj when it disappeared 50 minutes after taking off from Tehran’s Mehrabad airport. It came down in Kohangan village, 74 miles from Semirom town, authorities told Iran’s Fars News Agency. “All on board were unfortunately killed,” said Mohammad Taqi Tabatabai, an Aseman spokesman.

Rescue helicopters were unable to land because of heavy fog and emergency workers were searching the area by land, the television report said.

The death toll was originally given as 66, until it transpired that one passenger did not board the flight.