Photos: Plane Crash in Orumiyeh, Iran

An Iranian passenger plane with 104 passengers aboard has crashed near the northwestern city of Orumiyeh.  According to Mehr, 72 of the passengers, including the pilot and all flight attendants, have lost their lives.

The Boeing 727 had taken off from Mehr-Abad Airport in the Iranian capital, Tehran, with a one-hour delay and was en route to Orumiyeh International Airport when the incident happend.

Iranian civilian plane crashes have increased by five times since the 1980s, and since 2001, 15 major civilian planes have crashed. Seven of these planes were American Boeing jets and Lockheed C-130s, arguably the safest aircrafts available. Yet, they have frequently crashed due to "mechanical failures."

... Payvand News - 01/09/11 ... --