Planeload of German relief bound for Iranian quake

Bonn (dpa) - A plane carrying 33 tons of German relief materials was airborne Sunday morning to the scene of the Iranian earthquake.

THW, a federally funded civil-defence agency, said it was carrying water-purification equipment, medical supplies and blankets. The plane left Hahn airport, west of Frankfurt, for the Iranian city of Kerman.

So far THW has 30 staff in the quake zone, mainly looking for survivors. Spokesman Nicolas Hefner said in Bonn they had only found dead, but had worked through 36 cases where it was suspected survivors were alive under rubble.

''Our task is to bring the people hope, and to help where we can,'' he said.

The Germans arrived Saturday morning. Five more THW staff were on the Sunday plane and were to set up the water-purification gear. THW is sending another eight staff by scheduled airline flights.

The latest aid was collected from donors by three German charities, labour-based ASB, the German Red Cross and the Knights of Malta. dpa jbp sc

AP-NY-12-28-03 0614EST