Plane operated by a Moldovan-based company crashes in Iraq

At least 30 Turkish workers have been killed and two others injured in a plane crash near an airport north of Baghdad. The plain is considered to be owned by a Moldovan-based company. The plane crashed near the airport in the town of Balad, north of Baghdad on Tuesday morning, January 9. The Moldova-registered Antonov 26 plane had taken off from the southern Turkish city of Adana at 6:00 am (0400 GMT) and crashed near the airport in the town of Balad, north of Baghdad, as it made a second attempt to land in heavy fog. Adana Governor Cahit Kirac told that 29 Turks and an American were among the passengers. The crew included three Moldovans, a Russian and a Ukrainian. The Turk officials identified the Moldovan company operating the plane as Aerian Tur Airlines. However they could not confirm the death toll. There was no indication that hostile fire brought down the aircraft. In 2005, hostile fire was believed to have downed a British military transport plane in the same area, killing all 10 people on board.