The aircraft left Madrid's Torrejon military airport Friday evening and was due to arrive in Bam around 0300 GMT with a cargo of aid worth around 220,000 euros (277,000 dollars), the officials from the western Spanish region of Extremadura said.

They added Iranian representatives of the Red Crescent aid organisation would oversee the distribution.

On Thursday, the Red Cross, Spain's Agency for International Cooperation and an international firefighters association said they had between them chartered five aircraft to carry aid to survivors of last week's quake, which killed at least 27,000 people and possibly as many as 40,000.

The organisations said Spanish Foreign Minister Ana Palacio was coordinating the operation, which will involve flying out thousands of tonnes of aid, including medical and cooking supplies, via Turkey.

TERRA.WIRE