Iranian rescue workers have spotted the bodies of 30 passengers of an Aseman Airliner that crashed with 66 people on board in the country’s mountainous southwest on Sunday.

Mountain climbers and rescue workers who had reached the site of the plane crash said on Tuesday that 15 of the bodies were identifiable, Fars news agency reported.

According to eyewitnesses, the plane is probably buried under avalanche.

Moreover, rescue and search operation at the 4,500 meter altitude is becoming extremely difficult due to the steep slope of the site of the crash as well as the two-meter snow in the area. Meanwhile, more snowfall is expected in the coming hours.

At present, seven helicopters as well as nearly 100 rescue workers and mountain climbers, including Himalayan climbers, are continuing the search operation in the area.

Debris spotted

Earlier in the day, Iranian forces had located the wreckage of the plane.

Brigadier General Ramezan Sharif, spokesman for Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), told the Tasnim news agency that helicopters had spotted the wreckage on Tuesday morning.

A satellite image shows what seems to be debris and bodies at the crash site of the ill-fated Iranian airliner.

The head of the Isfahan Province medical emergency center said that helicopters could not land at the crash site to transfer the bodies due to adverse weather and topographical conditions.

The captain of the helicopter that spotted the wreckage said the plane had crashed 30 meters below a hilltop.

The fuselage has been broken into pieces and only a part bearing Aseman Airlines logo is visible, he added.

An official of the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) had said earlier that 80 search teams were conducting an operation at Mount Dena in the Zagros mountain range after weather conditions improved.

Iranian search and rescue workers and a helicopter are seen at Mount Dena in the Zagros mountain range on February 19, 2018 as they search for the wreckage of a missing Aseman Airliner that crashed with 66 people on board in the country's southwest. (Photo by IRNA)

Four IRCS helicopters had flown over the region as part of efforts to find the crash site, he added.

Iran’s Air Force F-14 fighter jets also flew over Dena Mount while army parachutists and commandos along with mount climbers continued the ground search and rescue operations.

The Aseman Airlines ATR-72 plane was flying from the Iranian capital, Tehran, to the southwestern city of Yasuj on Sunday when it disappeared 50 minutes into the flight around the town of Semirom in Isfahan Province.

Meanwhile, the Isfahan Province emergency center said that a mobile phone had transmitted signals from a location near Mount Dena where helicopters did not manage to reach the previous day due to bad weather.

Iranian search and rescue workers are seen at Mount Dena in the Zagros mountain range on February 19, 2018 as they search for the wreckage of a missing Aseman Airliner that crashed with 66 people on board in the country's southwest. (Photo by IRNA)

Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi, Iran’s Minister of Information and Communications Technology, also confirmed that the mobile phone of one of the passengers had been on after the crash and was sending signals from an area near the village of Kohangan.

An official at Iran Civil Aviation Organization said that the pilot had not declared an emergency situation and that the plane’s Emergency locator transmitter (ELT) had not transmitted signals after the incident.</s>TEHRAN, Iran — Iranian search and rescue teams on Monday reached the site of a plane crash that authorities say killed all 65 people on board, Iran's Press TV reported.

The Aseman Airlines ATR-72, a twin-engine turboprop used for short-distance regional flying, went down on Sunday in foggy weather, crashing into Mount Dena in a remote area of southern Iran. The airliner said all on board Flight EP3704 were killed, including six crew members.

The crash of the aircraft, brought back into service only months ago after being grounded for seven years, was yet another fatal aviation disaster for Iran, which for years was barred from buying necessary airplane parts due to Western sanctions over its contested nuclear program.

Press TV said search teams reached the crash site before dawn on Monday. The station said the weather had improved, though it was still windy. The semi-official Tasnim news agency cited the military as saying Russia had helped locate the crash site. Russia and Iran are close military allies.

The TV broadcast footage of a helicopter joining the search and showed ambulances and rescue vehicles preparing to reach the site on Mount Dena, which is about 4,400 metres (14,400 feet) tall. The site is reportedly at a height of 3,500 metres (11,500 feet).

Other Iranian news outlets and officials did not confirm that the crash site had been reached. State radio said five helicopters and five drones are active in the search operation. Iran's semi-official ISNA news agency said that more than 150 climbers have joined the operation.

Transport Minister Abbas Akhoundi left Tehran on Monday to visit the site of the crash, state TV reported. Footage posted on independent news websites showed him in the cockpit of a plane taking part in the search. State TV quoted him as saying the cause of the crash was still "not clear."

Reza Jafarzadeh, a spokesperson for Iran's Civil Aviation Organization, said a seven-member delegation from France is to arrive in Tehran on Monday to investigate the cause of the crash, the official IRNA news agency reported. Jafarzadeh said the delegation includes four officials from French-Italian aircraft manufacturer ATR.

High winds have made it difficult to fly helicopters and drones, hampering search efforts.

The 2015 nuclear accord with world powers lifted international sanctions on Tehran in exchange for curbs on its nuclear enrichment program, allowing Iran to purchase airplanes and airplane parts. The country has since signed deals to purchase tens of billions of dollars' worth of new aircraft. However, President Donald Trump's refusal to recertify the deal has injected uncertainty into those sales.</s>Iranian search and rescue teams on Monday reached the site of a plane crash the previous day that authorities say killed all 65 people on board, Iran's Press TV reported.

The Aseman Airlines ATR-72, a twin-engine turboprop used for short-distance regional flying, went down on Sunday in foggy weather, crashing into Mount Dena in southern Iran.

The airliner said all on board Flight EP3704 were killed, including six crew members.

The crash of the aircraft, brought back into service only months ago after being grounded for seven years, was yet another fatal aviation disaster for Iran, which for years was barred from buying necessary airplane parts due to Western sanctions over its contested nuclear program, forcing Iranians to fly in aging aircraft.

Press TV said search teams reached the crash site before dawn on Monday. The station said the weather had improved though it was still windy.

The TV broadcast footage of a helicopter joining the search and showed ambulances and rescue vehicles preparing to reach the site on Mount Dena, which is about 4,400 meters (14,435 feet) tall.

Other Iranian news outlets and officials did not confirm that the crash site had been reached. State radio said five helicopters and five drones are active in the search operation.

The site is reportedly at a height of 3,500 meters (11,482 feet).

Following the landmark 2015 nuclear accord with world powers that lifted international sanctions on Tehran in exchange for curbs on its nuclear enrichment program, Iran is allowed to purchase airplanes and airplane parts and has made deals worth tens of billions of dollars for new aircraft.

However, President Donald Trump's refusal to recertify the deal has injected uncertainty into those sales.

The ATR-72 went down near its destination of the southern city of Yasuj, some 780 kilometers (485 miles) south of the capital, Tehran, from where it took off.

It wasn't immediately clear what caused the crash, although weather was severe. Dense fog, high winds and heavy snow in the Zagros Mountains made it impossible for rescue crews in helicopters to reach the site in the immediate aftermath, state television reported.

Aseman Airlines spokesman Mohammad Taghi Tabatabai told state TV that all on board Flight EP3704 were killed. The plane had 59 passengers and six crew members, the state-run IRNA news agency reported late Sunday, lowering the initially reported death toll of 66.</s>Iranian search and rescue teams on Monday reached the site of a plane crash that authorities say killed all 65 people on board, Iran's Press TV reported.

The Aseman Airlines ATR-72, a twin-engine turboprop used for short-distance regional flying, went down on Sunday in foggy weather, crashing into Mount Dena in a remote area of southern Iran. The airliner said all on board Flight EP3704 were killed, including six crew members.

The crash of the aircraft, brought back into service only months ago after being grounded for seven years, was yet another fatal aviation disaster for Iran, which for years was barred from buying necessary airplane parts due to Western sanctions over its contested nuclear program.

Press TV said search teams reached the crash site before dawn on Monday. The station said the weather had improved, though it was still windy. The semi-official Tasnim news agency cited the military as saying Russia had helped locate the crash site. Russia and Iran are close military allies.

The TV broadcast footage of a helicopter joining the search and showed ambulances and rescue vehicles preparing to reach the site on Mount Dena, which is about 14,400 feet tall. The site is reportedly at a height of 11,500 feet.

Other Iranian news outlets and officials did not confirm that the crash site had been reached. State radio said five helicopters and five drones are active in the search operation. Iran's semi-official ISNA news agency said that more than 150 climbers have joined the operation.

Transport Minister Abbas Akhoundi left Tehran on Monday to visit the site of the crash, state TV reported. Footage posted on independent news websites showed him in the cockpit of a plane taking part in the search. State TV quoted him as saying the cause of the crash was still "not clear."

Reza Jafarzadeh, a spokesman for Iran's Civil Aviation Organization, said a seven-member delegation from France is to arrive in Tehran on Monday to investigate the cause of the crash, the official IRNA news agency reported. Jafarzadeh said the delegation includes four officials from French-Italian aircraft manufacturer ATR.

High winds have made it difficult to fly helicopters and drones, hampering search efforts.

The 2015 nuclear accord with world powers lifted international sanctions on Tehran in exchange for curbs on its nuclear enrichment program, allowing Iran to purchase airplanes and airplane parts. The country has since signed deals to purchase tens of billions of dollars' worth of new aircraft. However, President Donald Trump's refusal to recertify the deal has injected uncertainty into those sales.

The ATR-72 went down near its destination, the southern city of Yasuj, some 485 miles south of the capital, where it took off.

It wasn't immediately clear what caused the crash, although weather was severe. Dense fog, high winds and heavy snow in the Zagros Mountains made it impossible for rescue crews in helicopters to reach the site in the immediate aftermath, state TV reported.

Aseman Airlines spokesman Mohammad Taghi Tabatabai told state TV that all on board Flight EP3704 were killed. The plane had 59 passengers and six crew members, the state-run IRNA news agency reported late Sunday, lowering the initially reported death toll of 66.

The United States expressed condolences over the crash in a Farsi-language statement posted on social media Sunday.</s>TEHRAN, Iran — Iranian search and rescue teams on Monday reached the site of a plane crash the previous day that authorities say killed all 65 people on board, Iran's Press TV reported.

The Aseman Airlines ATR-72, a twin-engine turboprop used for short-distance regional flying, went down on Sunday in foggy weather, crashing into Mount Dena in southern Iran.

The airliner said all on board Flight EP3704 were killed, including six crew members.

The crash of the aircraft, brought back into service only months ago after being grounded for seven years, was yet another fatal aviation disaster for Iran, which for years was barred from buying necessary airplane parts due to Western sanctions over its contested nuclear program, forcing Iranians to fly in aging aircraft.

Press TV said search teams reached the crash site before dawn on Monday. The station said the weather had improved though it was still windy.

The TV broadcast footage of a helicopter joining the search and showed ambulances and rescue vehicles preparing to reach the site on Mount Dena, which is about 4,400 metres (14,435 feet) tall.

Other Iranian news outlets and officials did not confirm that the crash site had been reached. State radio said five helicopters and five drones are active in the search operation.

The site is reportedly at a height of 3,500 metres (11,482 feet).

Following the landmark 2015 nuclear accord with world powers that lifted international sanctions on Tehran in exchange for curbs on its nuclear enrichment program, Iran is allowed to purchase airplanes and airplane parts and has made deals worth tens of billions of dollars for new aircraft.

However, President Donald Trump's refusal to recertify the deal has injected uncertainty into those sales.</s>TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iranian search and rescue teams on Monday reached the site of a plane crash the previous day that authorities say killed all 65 people on board, Iran’s Press TV reported.

The Aseman Airlines ATR-72, a twin-engine turboprop used for short-distance regional flying, went down on Sunday in foggy weather, crashing into Mount Dena in southern Iran.

The airliner said all on board Flight EP3704 were killed, including six crew members.

The crash of the aircraft, brought back into service only months ago after being grounded for seven years, was yet another fatal aviation disaster for Iran, which for years was barred from buying necessary airplane parts due to Western sanctions over its contested nuclear program, forcing Iranians to fly in aging aircraft.

Press TV said search teams reached the crash site before dawn on Monday. The station said the weather had improved though it was still windy.

The TV broadcast footage of a helicopter joining the search and showed ambulances and rescue vehicles preparing to reach the site on Mount Dena, which is about 4,400 meters (14,435 feet) tall.

Other Iranian news outlets and officials did not confirm that the crash site had been reached. State radio said five helicopters and five drones are active in the search operation.

The site is reportedly at a height of 3,500 meters (11,482 feet).

Following the landmark 2015 nuclear accord with world powers that lifted international sanctions on Tehran in exchange for curbs on its nuclear enrichment program, Iran is allowed to purchase airplanes and airplane parts and has made deals worth tens of billions of dollars for new aircraft.

However, President Donald Trump’s refusal to recertify the deal has injected uncertainty into those sales.

The ATR-72 went down near its destination of the southern city of Yasuj, some 780 kilometers (485 miles) south of the capital, Tehran, from where it took off.

It wasn’t immediately clear what caused the crash, although weather was severe. Dense fog, high winds and heavy snow in the Zagros Mountains made it impossible for rescue crews in helicopters to reach the site in the immediate aftermath, state television reported.

Aseman Airlines spokesman Mohammad Taghi Tabatabai told state TV that all on board Flight EP3704 were killed. The plane had 59 passengers and six crew members, the state-run IRNA news agency reported late Sunday, lowering the initially reported death toll of 66.

The Washington Times is switching its third-party commenting system from Disqus to Spot.IM. You will need to either create an account with Spot.im or if you wish to use your Disqus account look under the Conversation for the link "Have a Disqus Account?". Please read our The Washington Times is switching its third-party commenting system from Disqus to Spot.IM. You will need to either create an account with Spot.im or if you wish to use your Disqus account look under the Conversation for the link "Have a Disqus Account?". Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.</s>Iranian search and rescue teams have reached the site of a plane crash which authorities say killed all 65 people on board, according to reports.

The Aseman Airlines ATR-72, a twin-engine turboprop used for short-distance regional flying, went down on Sunday in foggy weather, crashing into Mount Dena in a remote area of southern Iran. The airliner said all on board Flight EP3704 were killed, including six crew members.

A rescue helicopter flies over the Dena mountains while searching for wreckage of a plane that crashed on Sunday, in southern Iran. Pic: Ali Khodaei/Tasnim News Agency via AP

The crash of the aircraft, brought back into service only months ago after being grounded for seven years, was yet another fatal aviation disaster for Iran, which for years was barred from buying necessary aeroplane parts due to Western sanctions over its contested nuclear programme.

Press TV said search teams reached the crash site before dawn on Monday. The station said the weather had improved, though it is still windy.

The TV broadcast footage of a helicopter joining the search and showed ambulances and rescue vehicles preparing to reach the site on Mount Dena, which is about 14,400ft high. The crash site is reportedly at a height of 11,500ft.

Other Iranian news outlets and officials did not confirm that the crash site had been reached. State radio said five helicopters and five drones are active in the search operation. Iran's semi-official ISNA news agency said that more than 150 climbers have joined the operation.

Transport minister Abbas Akhoundi left Tehran on Monday to visit the site of the crash, state TV reported. Footage posted on independent news websites showed him in the cockpit of a plane taking part in the search. State TV quoted him as saying the cause of the crash was still "not clear".

High winds have made it difficult to fly helicopters and drones, hampering search efforts.

The 2015 nuclear accord with world powers lifted international sanctions on Tehran in exchange for curbs on its nuclear enrichment scheme, allowing Iran to purchase planes and parts.

The country has since signed deals to purchase tens of billions of dollars' worth of new aircraft. However, US president Donald Trump's refusal to re-certify the deal has injected uncertainty into those sales.

The ATR-72 went down near its destination, the southern city of Yasuj, some 485 miles south of the capital, where it took off.

It was not immediately clear what caused the crash, although weather was severe. Dense fog, high winds and heavy snow in the Zagros Mountains made it impossible for rescue crews in helicopters to reach the site in the immediate aftermath, state TV reported.

Aseman Airlines spokesman Mohammad Taghi Tabatabai told state TV that all on board Flight EP3704 were killed. The plane had 59 passengers and six crew members, the state-run IRNA news agency reported, lowering the initially-reported death toll of 66.

The United States expressed condolences over the crash in a Farsi-language statement posted on social media.</s>Iranian search and rescue teams on Monday reached the site of a plane crash that authorities say killed all 65 people on board, Iran’s Press TV reported.

The Aseman Airlines ATR-72, a twin-engine turboprop used for short-distance regional flying, went down Sunday in foggy weather, crashing into Mount Dena in a remote area of southern Iran. The airliner said all on board Flight EP3704 were killed, including six crew members.

The crash of the aircraft, brought back into service only months ago after being grounded for seven years, was yet another fatal aviation disaster for Iran, which for years was barred from buying necessary airplane parts due to Western sanctions over its contested nuclear program.</s>In this photo provided by Tasnim News Agency, family members of plane crash victims weep in the village of Bideh, an area near where the plane crashed, southern Iran, Sunday, Feb. 18, 2018. (AP)

TEHRAN: Iran's Press TV is reporting that search and rescue teams have reached the site of the plane crash that authorities say killed all 65 people on board.

The Aseman Airlines ATR-72, a twin-engine turboprop used for short-distance regional flying, went down on Sunday in foggy weather, crashing into Mount Dena in southern Iran.

The TV says search teams reached the crash site before dawn on Monday. The station said the weather had improved and broadcast footage of a helicopter joining the search.

Aseman Airlines said all on board Flight EP3704 were killed, including six crew members.

The crash was yet another fatal aviation disaster for Iran, which for years was barred from buying necessary airplane parts due to Western sanctions over its contested nuclear program.</s>TEHRAN, IRAN—Iranian search and rescue teams on Monday reached the site of a plane crash that authorities say killed all 65 people on board, Iran’s Press TV reported.

The Aseman Airlines ATR-72, a twin-engine turboprop used for short-distance regional flying, went down on Sunday in foggy weather, crashing into Mount Dena in a remote area of southern Iran. The airliner said all on board Flight EP3704 were killed, including six crew members.

The crash of the aircraft, brought back into service only months ago after being grounded for seven years, was yet another fatal aviation disaster for Iran, which for years was barred from buying necessary airplane parts due to Western sanctions over its contested nuclear program.

Read more: Iran plane crash kills all 65 people on board

Press TV said search teams reached the crash site before dawn on Monday. The station said the weather had improved, though it was still windy.
Iranian forces have spotted the wreckage of the missing Aseman Airliner 30 meters below a hilltop on mount Dena. Helicopters could not land yet at the crash site due to weather and topographical conditions. 65 people are feared dead.