The exact number of people on board Flight IR 277 is unclear. An accident post on the Aviation Safety Network website says, "ISNA quotes the Roads and Transportation Secretary stating there were 94 passengers and eleven crew members on board. Fars News Agency reports 93 passengers and twelve crew members."
A BBC News article about the accident, quoting Iran's Fars news agency, says there were 33 survivors.
The same BBC article quoted a Red Crescent official who said that "the plane had broken into several pieces, but there was no explosion or fire."
The weather at Urmia Airport was said to be poor at the time of the accident.
UPDATE: The Aviation Herald reports:
Iran's Transport Ministry said, that there was no emergency. According to tower tapes the pilot aborted the approach when he could not establish visual contact with the runway at decision height and went around indicating they wanted to return to Tehran. 33 people have been taken to hospitals, 73 have perished.METARS (via the Aviation Herald):
OITR 091800Z 29004KT 0500 +SN SCT015 SCT020 OVC060 00/00 Q1016
OITR 091750Z 29004KT 0500 +SN SCT015 SCT020 OVC060 00/00 Q1016
OITR 091700Z 33004KT 0600 +SN SCT015 SCT020 OVC060 00/00 Q1016
OITR 091650Z 33004KT 0600 +SN SCT015 SCT020 OVC060 00/00 Q1016
OITR 091600Z 26004KT 0800 SN SCT015 SCT020 OVC060 00/00 Q1016
OITR 091550Z 26004KT 0800 SN SCT015 SCT020 OVC060 00/00 Q1016
OITR 091500Z 24006KT 0800 +SN SCT015 SCT020 OVC060 00/00 Q1015
The Associated Press posted this video clip about the Iran Air accident on YouTube.
If the video does not play or display properly above, click here to view it on YouTube.
