Blizzard kills at least eight climbers and leaves ship crew missing in Iran

At least eight climbers have died and several more are missing in mountains north of Iran’s capital Tehran after heavy snowfall and a blizzard, state television reported on Saturday, and the seven crew of a ship are also missing after storms in the Gulf.

Heavy snow and winds in several parts of Iran in the last days have closed many roads and disrupted transport.

Several climbers remain unaccounted for since Friday when two deaths were reported, while the number reported as missing has increased as concerned families contact the authorities, the broadcaster said.

Local news agency reports said the number of people unaccounted for on three popular trails could be as high as 12.

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Tehran lies at the foot of the Alborz mountain range which has several ski resorts.

Separately, Iranian maritime authorities were searching for the seven crew members of an Iranian transport vessel that capsized in rough Gulf waters on Friday, the semi-official ISNA news agency reported.

"We are trying to find the missing by mobilising all our facilities and forces, and informing passing vessels and the naval search and rescue centres of Oman, the United Arab Emirates and Pakistan, " Esmail Makkizadeh, deputy head of Iran's regional maritime body, was quoted as saying by ISNA.

- Reuters