DUSHANBE, August 25, 2008, Asia-Plus – 22 out of 90 people survived as a Kyrgyz passenger aircraft bound for Tehran crashed near the capital on Sunday, Interfax reported referring to government’s press service.   

The crash occurred when the crew reported a technical malfunction soon after take-off and was returning to Manas, Bishkek''s international airport. The Boeing-737 crashed and caught fire, two kilometers away from Manas.

The plane carried 83 passengers, including Kyrgyzstan''s national basketball youth team and eleven Iranian nationals, and seven crewmembers.

Kyrgyz Prime Minister Igor Chudinov said the plane''s captain was one of the survivors, who are being currently delivered to Bishkek''s hospitals.

Kyrgyz authorities name decompression of the plane, flight control system or engine failure, among causes of the crash.