Horrific plane crash in Iran leaves 65+ missing

Admin Mon 19 Feb 2018, 8:15 pm

Horrific plane crash in Iran leaves 65+ missing
https://www.conservativeinstitute.org/foreign-policy/iran/horrific-plane-crash-iran.htm?February 18, 2018
Horrific plane crash in Iran leaves 65+ missing
Garry Knight / CCL
An Aseman Airlines civilian plane disappeared from radar on Sunday morning in central Iran, taking with it all 66 passengers and crew members.
The missing include 60 passengers, 2 security guards, 2 flight attendants, and the pilot and co-pilot, according to the BBC.
Fox & Friends reported the incident on Sunday:
WATCH

Statement retracted
The ATR 72 Iranian domestic flight departed Tehran and was en route to Yasuj when it crashed into Dena Mountain after experiencing inclement weather, according to U.K.’s Mirror. The mountain is about 14 miles from Yasuj.
The airline initially confirmed there were no survivors after the airliner went down, but later retracted that statement.
“Given the special circumstances of the region, we still have no access to the spot of the crash and therefore we cannot accurately and definitely confirm the death of all passengers of this plane,” the airline’s revised statement said.
One child was among those on board.
The ATR 72 is a twin-engine turboprop, short-haul regional airliner developed and produced in both France and Italy and capable of seating between 72 and 78 passengers.
Search and rescue thwarted
Rescue efforts via helicopter, including those initiated by the Red Crescent, have been hampered by severe weather conditions, including dense fog and heavy snow. Rescue and recovery crews are proceeding on foot to the crash site.
The following clip, provided by Iran’s Fars News Agency, depicts the weather conditions crews are battling:
WATCH

These are apparently the same conditions that contributed to the accident.
The latest in a string
Sunday’s crash is but the latest in a series of accidents encountered by the airline. The BBC reported:
Iran has suffered several aviation accidents in recent years and has an aging aircraft fleet.
The country has struggled to obtain spare parts to maintain its planes in the face of international sanctions imposed to curb its nuclear program.
Those sanctions have been mostly lifted under a 2015 deal between Iran and the U.S. alongside several other powers.
Meanwhile, family members and other loved ones of the 66 passengers and crew members are congregating at the airports in Tehran and Yasuj to await updates from the airline.