Ukrainian passenger plane crashes in Iran, killing all 176 people on board
Ukrainian Boeing-737 crashed earlier today, killing all 176 people aboard shortly after taking off in Iran.
As being reported, Flight PS752 of Ukraine International Airlines exploded mid-air before impacting the ground in Shahriar, near Tehran.
The aircraft was on a scheduled flight back to Kyiv from Tehran (IKA) airport.
Ukraine’s embassy in Iran, citing preliminary information, said the plane had suffered engine failure and the crash was not caused by “terrorism”.
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy confirmed that there were no survivors, warning against speculation about the crash.
“My sincere condolences to the relatives and friends of all passengers and crew,” Zelenskiy said in a statement, adding that Ukraine was seeking to establish the circumstances of the crash and the death toll.
“I ask everyone to keep from speculating and putting forth unconfirmed theories about the crash,” he wrote on Facebook.
President Volodymyr Zelensky has cut short a trip to Oman and returning to Kyiv, a statement said.
According to Iranian TV, the crash occurred due to technical problems but did not elaborate. State broadcaster IRIB said on its website that one of the plane’s two black boxes, the flight data recorder, and the cockpit voice recorder had been found.
