A MILITARY plane has crashed near a school – killing both its pilots and at least one other person.
The F-5 fighter jet smashed into a sports hall in Tabriz, Iran, sparking a huge blaze, with footage showing the fireball wreckage.
The plane crash landed by a school in Iran[/caption]
At least three people have died[/caption]
It’s understood a third person who died in the crash was in his car at the time, reports Iran’s Mehr News Agency.
According to local army official Reza Yousefi, the plane was being used for training and crashed due to a technical issue.
He told Al Jazeera: “These two pilots laid down their lives so the plane wouldn’t hit residential areas
“They could have ejected but they stayed and managed to veer it towards a non-residential area.”
The school was closed at the time of the crash just before 9am local time, army spokesman Shahin Taqi-Khani said.
He said technical failure appeared to be the cause of the incident, but that an investigation was underway.
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The pilot and a trainee pilot were killed, as well as a civilian passing by in a car, he added.
Experts say Iran has a poor air safety record, with repeated crashes, many involving US-built aircraft bought before the 1979 Islamic revolution.
The US, which broke diplomatic ties in 1980 after Iranian students took US diplomats hostage, imposed sanctions on Iran making it difficult for Tehran to buy spare parts for its military and civilian aircraft.
It’s thought the plane crashed due to technical errors – but a probe in underway[/caption]
Authorities are investigating the cause of the crash[/caption]
The F-5 fighter jet was reportedly being used for training. Stock picture[/caption]