By A Ukrainian passenger aircraft has crashed shortly after take-off from Iran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport in Tehran, killing all 176 people on board. Data from FlightRadar 24 suggests that the crash would have happened as quickly as two minutes after the plane left Imam Khomeini International Airport.
While authorities say that 168 people had tickets for the flight, the Boeing 737 was thought to be carrying 176 people when it suffered technical problems, according to reports. The Ukrainian Embassy in Tehran said that the incident was caused by an engine failure, not terrorism.
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Wednesday that all passengers and crew on board Ukraine International Airlines flight PS752 were killed, citing preliminary information.
“My sincere condolences to the relatives and friends of all passengers and crew,” he said. Mr Zelenskiy said Ukraine was trying to establish the circumstances of the crash and the official death toll.
Ukraine’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Vadym Prystaiko later said via Twitter that the victims were from Iran (82), Canada (63), Ukraine (2 + 9 crew), Sweden (10), Afghanistan (4), Germany (3) and the United Kingdom (3).
An earlier statement on his official Facebook page said Zalensky traveled to Oman at his own expense with his family.
Abass Latifat
