An Ukranian Boeing 737 flight, with 180 passengers onboard, crashed near Iran's Imam Khomeini Airport due to technical issues, Reuters quoted Iran news agency Fars. The flight had just taken off when it developed snags, according to reports. Around the same time, an earthquake was also reported in the region, though there are no indications the two are connected.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that all 180 passengers onboard the aircraft have lost their lives. An investigation team was at the site of the crash in southwestern outskirts of Tehran, civil aviation spokesman Reza Jafarzadeh said.
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.
The crash came hours after Iran launched a ballistic missile attack targeting two bases in Iraq housing US forces in retaliation for the killing of Revolutionary Guard General Qassem Soleimani.
The story will be updated as and when more details are available
