TEHRAN, Iran (AP):
A SMALL military passenger jet crashed in northwestern Iran yesterday, killing the commander of the ground forces of the élite Revolutionary Guards and at least 12 other people, official media reported.
It was the second time in two months that a military plane has crashed in Iran. On both occasions, the planes were carrying passengers and attempting to make an emergency landing.
In yesterday's crash, the plane, a Falcon of the Revolutionary Guards, was trying to make an emergency landing at Oroumieh, 900 kilometres (560 miles) northwest of the capital, Tehran, state television reported.
VARIOUS FACTORS TO BLAME
The spokesman for the Revolutionary Guards, Gen. Masoud Jazayeri, told state radio that various factors were to blame: bad weather and poor visibility - it was snowing; both of the plane's engines failed; and its landing gear jammed, preventing the wheels from being fully deployed.
"It crashed near the airport due to the bad weather, lack of visibility and failure in both engines," Jazayeri told the television earlier.
Jazayeri said that Gen. Ahmad Kazemi, commander of the ground forces of the Revolutionary Guards, and 10 other officers of the guards were killed, the official Islamic Republic news agency reported.
State television said the plane's crew of two were also killed. However, the news agency and state radio said there were three crewmen. The discrepancy could not be immediately explained.
