176 Dead In Ukrainian Airliner Crash In Iran. Unverified Video Shows Moment Of Crash

Shortly after taking off from Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport, a Ukranian airliner crashed on Wednesday, killing all 176 passengers and crew on board.

The Boeing 737-800 operated by Ukrainian airlines had left Imam Khomeini International Airport in Tehran at 6:12 am on Wednesday when a fire stuck one of its engines, an Iranian government official said. The flight, bound for Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, lost contact after six minutes, according to Flightradar24 flight tracker.

We are following reports that a Ukrainian 737-800 has crashed shortly after takeoff from Tehran. #PS752 departed Tehran at 02:42UTC. Last ADS-B data received at 02:44UTC. https://t.co/qXWHUPGDTu pic.twitter.com/vuAi6TOqTp

— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) January 8, 2020

Iranian state news media shared a video showing the moment of the crash.

نخستین ویدئو از سقوط هواپیمای اوکراینی اطراف شهریار pic.twitter.com/M3bZiLLryQ

— خبرگزاری ایسنا (@isna_farsi) January 8, 2020

“After taking off from Imam Khomeini international airport it crashed between Parand and Shahriar,” Iran's civil aviation spokesman said. “An investigation team from the national aviation department was dispatched to the location after the news was announced and rescuers are trying to collect the dead”.

“We are aware of the media reports out of Iran and we are gathering more information,” Boeing said in a statement. The disaster adds to the crisis at Boeing which has been under fire for the death of 346 people in two crashes due to design flaw.

We are aware of the media reports out of Iran and we are gathering more information.

— The Boeing Company (@Boeing) January 8, 2020

Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, has offered condolences to the families of the victims and said his government was working to understand the causes of the crash.

The crash happened against the backdrop of the escalating tensions between the United States and Iran, which on Tuesday attacked two bases in Iraq that house American troops.

Several airlines have diverted their flights to avoid flying over Iraqi and Iranian airspace, including a Mumbai-London British Airways flight.