IRAN SENDS CONDOLENCES OVER ARMENIAN PLANE CRASH

IRNA website
3 May 06

Tehran, 3 May: Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi here
Wednesday [3 May] expressed condolences to the government, people
and families of victims of an Armenian plane crash in the Black Sea.

According to reports, an Armenian Airbus A-320 carrying 113 passengers
and crew crashed in the Black Sea near the south Russian seaside
resort of Sochi in heavy rain on Wednesday killing all on board.

The plane took off from the Armenian capital Yerevan and had been on
flying for about an hour when it crashed. Most of the casualties were
Armenian nationals.

A spokesman for the Russian Emergencies Ministry said rescue workers
had found baggages, life jackets, body parts, shattered plane parts
and patches of oil floating on the surface of the sea at the crash
site. At least 16 bodies had been found by 04:25 gmt.

Asefi expressed the Iranian government’s and nation’s deepest sympathy
with the Armenian people, government and bereaved relatives of victims.