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Iranian plane caught fire in the air and crashed from 8 km altitude

15 July 2009 13:48 (UTC +04:00)

According to Iranâ€™s English-language Press TV, official of Qazvin City, where the plane crashed, Sirus Saberi said Tu-154 attempted to make emergency landing. He said the plane caught fire in the air and crashed.

Caspian Airlines official Arlen Davudian said 20-25 Armenians were killed in the crash. Most of the victims are the Iranian citizens. Georgian foreign ministry reported about the death of two Georgians, financial manager of the Georgian embassy in Armenia Givi Chkadua and wife of the Georgian senior diplomat in Iran Natelia Nikonova, on the board.

Armenian president Serzh Sargsyan cut his visit to the Spitak region of Armenia and returned to Yerevan.

Iranâ€™s Caspian Airlines Tu-154, on a flight from Tehran to Yerevan, crashed 16 minutes later after the takeoff near the city of Qazvin, 200 km from Tehran and fell from 8 km altitude. There were 153 passengers and 15 crew members on the board.