Iran recovers 32 bodies from Sunday's plane crash

By Melih Ahishali

ISTANBUL (AA) - The bodies of more than thirty victims of Sunday’s deadly plane crash have been found at the crash site in a mountainous region of Iran’s central Isfahan province, local officials were quoted as saying on Wednesday by Iranian media outlets.

At a press briefing, Isfahan Governor Mohsen Mehralizadeh said the bodies of 32 passengers had been recovered so far, according to Iran’s Mehr news agency.

Recovered bodies, he said, were being removed by car since helicopters have been unable to land at the crash site due to adverse weather conditions.

As many as 80 search-and-rescue teams have been tasked with recovering bodies from the crash site in Isfahan’s Mount Dena region, according to the Iranian Red Crescent Society.

Along with helicopters, unmanned aerial drones have also been employed in the search efforts.

On Sunday, an Iran Aseman Airlines passenger plane flying from Tehran to the southwestern city of Yasuj went down in Isfahan’s Semirom district, killing all 66 people aboard.

Iran has suffered a string of aviation disasters in recent years, due in part to its aging aircraft fleet, which it has struggled to modernize despite years of U.S. sanctions.