175 killed in plane crash in Iran

Over 175 people were killed after an Ukraine International Airlines plane crashed at Tehran in Iran shortly after its take-off on Wednesday morning. Boeing 737 jet took off from the Imam Khomeini airport with 167 passengers and nine crew members on-board. They soon lost contact with the Air Traffic Control (ATC) before crashing. The flight was reportedly travelling to Kyiv in Ukraine.

My heart is broken. We will have to go through this terrible pain together with our Canadian brothers and sisters- Andriy Shevchenko, Ukrainian ambassador to Canada.

Most of the victims were from Iran and Canada. Some of them belonged to Afghanistan, Sweden and Britain as well. Though initial reports stated an engine failure, the exact reason for the crash still remains unknown. Due to the crash, Ukraine International has suspended all flights to Iran until further notice.

Rescue teams were sent to the accident site soon after the crash. There was heavy fire in the area. A special plane has also been organized to take back bodies of the victims.

The Ukrainian plane crash happened amidst tensions between Iran and the United States sparking more controversy. “A plane from Iran to Ukraine crashes 2 minutes after takeoff, killing 176 people. Thinking of the passengers, crew members, & their families right now. And I have a lot of questions about how all the pieces fit together”, tweeted American politician Katie Hill.

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