66 passengers dead as plane crashes

pulse

February 18, 2018 9:06 AM

An Iranian commercial plane crashed on Sunday killing all 66 people on board, state media reported.

An Iranian passenger plane has crashed into the countrys Zagros mountains killing all the 66 people on board on Sunday, February 18, 2018.

The state media says the crash has killed all the 66 people on board.

"This plane has crashed in the Semirom area and all emergency forces are on alert. The plane had 50 to 60 passengers," Pir Hossein Koolivand told the Fars news agency.

The plane was reportedly travelling from Tehran to the small town of Yasuj in Isfahan province.

Semirom lies in the mountainous southwestern region of Iran, around 480 kilometres (300 miles) south of the capital.

"An ATR aircraft of Aseman Airlines with 60 passengers and about six crew disappeared from radar this morning," Aladin Borujerdi, head of parliament's national security and foreign policy commission, told the semi-official ISNA news agency.

"Observation by people (in the area) indicates a crash," he said, adding that he was still awaiting confirmation.

Mojtaba Khaledi, spokesman for the national emergency services, told the semi-official ISNA news agency that a helicopter had been sent to the area.

"Given the fact that the area is mountainous, it is not possible to send ambulances," he said.

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