Article Posted on : - Jan 27, 2012

The F-14 fighter of Iran.

TEHRAN (AFP): An Iranian US-manufactured F-14 fighter jet crashed early Thursday minutes after takeoff, killing both crew, the Fars news agency reported.

"The pilot and the co-pilot of an F-14 plane that crashed this morning have been martyred," the news agency quoted the governor of Bushehr province on the Gulf coast, Jafar Pourkabgani, as saying.

"The plane crashed due to technical failure and the investigation is ongoing," he added.

Iran retains a fleet of US-manufactured aircraft that it bought before the Islamic revolution of 1979.

Sanctions against Iran's controversial nuclear programme have taken a heavy toll on Iran's ability to maintain the fleet.

Iran has suffered a string of serious air accidents over the past decade that has cost more than 900 lives.