Iran warplane crashes near dormant volcano

An Iranian military fighter jet crashed on Wednesday near a dormant volcano in the northwest of the country, official media reported.

State news agency IRNA said the jet went down at 9am (0530 GMT) near Mount Sabalan, in the Lesser Caucasus range, and was a MiG-29 on a test flight after being overhauled.

Amateur video footage published on the social media accounts of various media outlets in Iran appeared to show smoke rising above snow-capped peaks.

A search and rescue operation was launched for the plane and its crew.

"Following the crash of a military plane in Ardabil (province), helicopter and rescue groups have been sent to the region," Iran's Red Crescent said in a statement on its website.

Iran's third highest peak, Mount Sabalan, features a crater that turns into a lake at certain times of the year.

Agence France-Presse