BAGHDAD, Jan 9: Thirty-two people were killed when a plane carrying mostly Turkish construction workers crashed in bad weather north of Baghdad on Tuesday, the Turkish foreign ministry said.

The Moldova-registered Antonov 26 plane had taken off from the southern Turkish city of Adana at 6am (0400 GMT). It crashed near the airport in the town of Balad, north of Baghdad, as it made a second attempt to land in heavy fog, a ministry spokeswoman said.

“Thirty-two people died and one person was injured when the plane crashed. Two others remain unaccounted for,” she said.

The earlier toll stood at 30 killed and two injured.

The plane was carrying five crew members and 30 passengers, most of whom were construction workers employed by the Adana-based Kulak construction company.

The company had chartered the plane from Aerian Tur Airlines, a Moldovan company, the spokeswoman said.

One of Kulak’s partners was also aboard the plane, media reports said. Iraq’s transport ministry spokesman Ahmed al-Mussawi said that an investigation had been launched into the caused of the crash.

“The civilian plane crashed near Balad. We do not know the reason for the crash but we have started an investigation,” Mussawi said.

Adana Governor Cahit Kirac told CNN Turk television that 29 Turks and an American were among the passengers. The crew included three Moldovans, a Russian and a Ukrainian.—AFP