This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/middle_east/5305750.stm

The article has changed 11 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 4 Version 5
Scores killed in Iran plane blaze Dozens killed in Iran plane fire
(about 2 hours later)
A passenger plane has skidded off a runway and burst into flames in Iran's north-eastern city of Mashhad, killing at least 80 people. A passenger plane has skidded off a runway and burst into flames in Iran's north-eastern city of Mashhad, killing 29 of those aboard.
The Russian-built Iran Air Tours jet was carrying at least 147 people from the southern port city of Bandar Abbas. Early Iranian TV reports had put the death toll at 80 for the Russian-built jet carrying at least 148 people from the southern port city of Bandar Abbas.
Reports say dozens of people managed to escape the blaze in Mashhad, a popular destination for Shia pilgrims.
The fire began when the Tu-154 left the runway on landing at 1345 (1015 GMT), possibly because of a burst tyre.The fire began when the Tu-154 left the runway on landing at 1345 (1015 GMT), possibly because of a burst tyre.
Television pictures show a broken, partially charred plane lying on the side of a runway, as firefighters damp down the smouldering wreck. Mashhad is a popular destination for Shia pilgrims visiting a shrine there.
Television pictures showed a broken, partially charred plane lying on the side of a runway, as firefighters damped down the smouldering wreck.
Casualty confusionCasualty confusion
The head of the airport in Mashhad, named only as Mr Esmail, told Iranian TV that up to 60 people had been rescued. Nourollah Rezai Niaraki, chairman of Iran's Civil Aviation Organisation, said in an interview on TV that the plane had slid off the runway, "then its left wing hit the ground and caught fire".
"The latest report puts the number of survivors at 50 to 60," he said. He said that 29 people had died, correcting the earlier TV reports.
"The report says that 70 to 80 people have unfortunately lost their lives." A spokesman for the Civil Aviation Organisation, Reza Jafarzadeh, said the cause of the incident was still not clear.
The managing director of Iran Air Tours, Mehdi Sadeqi, told state TV that it was difficult to establish an exact death toll because some of the injured had been transferred to hospitals.
A spokesman for Iran's Civil Aviation Organisation, Reza Jafarzadeh, said the cause of the incident was still not clear.
But the flight's crew survived the accident, Roads and Transport Minister Mohammad Rahmati told Iran's student news agency Isna.But the flight's crew survived the accident, Roads and Transport Minister Mohammad Rahmati told Iran's student news agency Isna.
"This will be a great help to find out the cause of the accident as soon as possible," he added."This will be a great help to find out the cause of the accident as soon as possible," he added.
Air disaster historyAir disaster history
The BBC's Tehran correspondent, Frances Harrison, says Mashhad, which lies 1,000 km (620 miles) north-east of the capital, is a major pilgrimage destination for devout Shias as it houses the shrine of Imam Reza.The BBC's Tehran correspondent, Frances Harrison, says Mashhad, which lies 1,000 km (620 miles) north-east of the capital, is a major pilgrimage destination for devout Shias as it houses the shrine of Imam Reza.
Iran has a terrible record of airline safety, our correspondent says.Iran has a terrible record of airline safety, our correspondent says.
One reason for this is US sanctions, which prevent the Iranian government from buying spare parts for its ageing fleet or purchasing new aircraft from major aviation companies in the West, she adds.One reason for this is US sanctions, which prevent the Iranian government from buying spare parts for its ageing fleet or purchasing new aircraft from major aviation companies in the West, she adds.
Planes from Iran Air Tours crashed in 2002, 1993 and 1992 - on all occasions, there were no survivors.Planes from Iran Air Tours crashed in 2002, 1993 and 1992 - on all occasions, there were no survivors.
The Tupolev-154 has for more than a quarter of a century been the backbone of Russian and Soviet air transport.The Tupolev-154 has for more than a quarter of a century been the backbone of Russian and Soviet air transport.
According to Paul Duffy, Russian editor of Air Transport World, few Tu-154 accidents appear to have involved technical failure.According to Paul Duffy, Russian editor of Air Transport World, few Tu-154 accidents appear to have involved technical failure.