Sharjah, United Arab Emirates; 10 February 2004 (RFE/RL) -- Officials in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) say at least 40 people were killed today when an Iranian passenger plane crashed near an airport.
UAE officials said 45 people were on board the Kish Airlines flight when it crashed shortly after taking off from the international airport at Sharjah. Reports said there were some survivors.
Local television showed flaming wreckage and rescue helicopters landing near the scene.
An official with the semi-private Kish Airlines said the aircraft was a Dutch-made Fokker-50, a twin-engine turboprop plane that can carry up to 50 passengers and six crew members. Kish runs routes to and from Iran's Kish Island in the Gulf.
Local television showed flaming wreckage and rescue helicopters landing near the scene.
An official with the semi-private Kish Airlines said the aircraft was a Dutch-made Fokker-50, a twin-engine turboprop plane that can carry up to 50 passengers and six crew members. Kish runs routes to and from Iran's Kish Island in the Gulf.