A passenger plane has crashed while taking off from an airport – killing 39 people on board and injuring nine.

The plane went down in a residential area after its engine failed near Mehrabad airport in Iran.
It took off at 9.20am local time and crashed shortly afterwards.

Iranian TV earlier reported that forty passengers and eight crew members were dead, but an official has now said 39 are dead and nine injured.

It is believed five children were on board.

The plane, operated by Sepahan Air, was heading to Tabas, a town in eastern Iran.

The Iran-140 is a 52-seat passenger plane produced in Iran with Ukrainian technology and is typically used for short domestic flights.

Iran has suffered a series of plane crashes, blamed on its ageing aircraft and poor maintenance.