Scene of the plane crash (Rohhollah Vadati/ISNA/AFP)
A Boeing 737-800 plane carrying at least 176 people bound for the
Ukrainian capital, Kiev, has crashed a few minutes after taking off from
Tehran’s main international airport.
According to Iran’s Red Crescent, there was no chance of finding survivors.
Ukraine’s foreign ministry confirmed that assessment.
The plane took off from Imam Khomeini international airport at
6.12am Tehran time on Wednesday and went down about 10 minutes later.
There were no early indications the crash was linked to Wednesday
morning’s missile strikes on bases in Iraq hosting US and coalition
troops.
Emergency services personnel walk amidst the wreckage after an
Ukraine International Airlines Boeing 737-800 crashed. Photograph: Abedin Taherkenareh/EPA