Asia

Asia

Iranian plane crash death toll reaches 77

10 January 2011 10:02 (UTC +04:00)

The Iranian Airlines jet heading from Tehran to northwestern city of Orumiyeh with one-hour delay crashed near the city of Orumiyeh early on Sunday.
Up to 26 people were injured in the crash, the agency said.
"105 people including 94 passengers and 11 crew members were on board at the time of the incident," said Head of crisis management organization of Iranian Ministry of Road and Transportation Ahmad Majidi. "26 wounded individuals are hospitalized in Orumiyeh, one of them is in critical condition," he continued adding that one individual is missing. Majidi said local residents gave wreckage found at site to the authorities of Western Azerbaijan province, but investigators have not identified it as â€œblack boxâ€ yet.
Bad weather at the site of the crash has hampered rescue operations, local officials were quoted by media reports as saying.
"The pilot intended to return to Tehran after bad weather had made it impossible for him to land," Majidi said adding that the pilot died in the crash.
Iran’s Emergencies Ministry has earlier confirmed that 50 passengers were rescued from the wreckage.