'No survivors': Plane with 176 people on board crashes in Iran
All 176 people on board a Boeing 737 that crashed shortly after takeoff in Iran have been killed, an Iranian emergency official says.
According to local news outlet ISNA, the crash was initially suspected to have been caused by mechanical issues.
It is understood 176 passengers and crew were on board the plane, bound for Ukraine, when it crashed and burst into flames.
ISNA claims the Ukraine International Airlines flight was departing Imam Khomeini International Airport in Tehran when tragedy struck.
Emergency official Pir Hossein Kulivand told Iranian state TV rescuers were trying to collect the dead.
"The plane is on fire but we have sent crews ... and we may be able to save some passengers," he earlier told the television before later saying there were no survivors.
"The fire is so heavy that we cannot (do) any rescue... we have 22 ambulances, four bus ambulances and a helicopter at the site."
Associated Press journalists who reached the crash site saw a wide field of debris scattered across farmland.
The dead lay among shattered pieces of the aircraft. Rescuers in masks shouted over the noise of hovering helicopters as they worked.
#Breaking First footage of the Ukrainian airplane while on fire falling near #Tehran pic.twitter.com/kGxnBb7f1q
— Ali Hashem علي هاشم (@alihashem_tv) January 8, 2020
Flight data from the airport showed a Ukrainian 737-800 flown by Ukraine International Airlines took off Wednesday morning, then stopped sending data almost immediately afterward, according to website FlightRadar24.
The airline did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Boeing Co said it was aware of media reports regarding a plane crash in Iran and was gathering more information.
Plane crash comes amid ‘revenge operation’
The plane crash comes as Iran launches “tens” of surface-to-surface missiles at Iraq’s Ain Assad air base housing US troops.
State TV described it as Tehran's revenge operation over the killing of Revolutionary Guard General Qassem Soleimani on Friday.
The Pentagon has confirmed missile attacks on US bases but said there was no immediate information on any damage or casualties.
With Reuters/AP
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