A Ukrainian airliner which had at least 170 people (including crew members) on board crashed due to technical glitch on Wednesday morning soon after it took off from the Imam Khomeini airport in Tehran, Iran, according to IRNA, Iran’s official news agency.
The Iranian State Television said that none of the 170 people on board the Ukrainian international passenger flight survived the crash in Iran.
Rescue and investigation team rushed to the site where the Reza Jafarzadeh – Ukraine International Airline – flight crashed said an Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization’s spokesperson.
Iran’s Emergency Services’ Head, Pirhossein Koulivand said “the plane is on fire but we have sent crews … and we may be able to save some passengers” while address the television. Reza Jafarzadeh said that total number of people on board their #PS752, Boeing 737, flight were 170.
Earlier, an international news agency – Reuters – said that there were 180 people on board the international flight which crashed. Flightradar24, a global flight tracking service provider, tweeted “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” (8:14 am IST).
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
Another Twitter user by the name of Chewy posted the video of the crash on twitter “Footage of the Ukranian plane crash in Iran #PS752 #Tehran”.
Footage of the Ukranian plane crash in Iran ? #PS752 #Tehran pic.twitter.com/9l7KnM5O6E
— Chewy (@Chewy9991) January 8, 2020
A Twitter user shared the image of the crash site “#first picture of #Boeing737 #ps752 #tehran #Iran #BREAKING no survivors yet…”.
#first picture of #Boeing737 #ps752 #tehran #Iran #BREAKING no survivors yet… pic.twitter.com/KKeiF0lYpg
— Khamzat (@askhamzat) January 8, 2020
On Tuesday, Iran launched more than 12 ballistic missiles on 2 of United States military and coalition forces’ bases in Iraq according to Pentagon.
An Iranian state television said that the attacked on those bases were in revenge for when in a US drone strike on Friday, Iran’s Major General of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Qasem Saleimani was killed. The drone strike was ordered by US President, Donald Trump.
Iran said that the country has “concluded” its retaliation over the killing of top Iranian military commander as it targeted US forces in Iraq. Iran Foreign Minister, Javad Zarif, in a tweet, said “Iran took & concluded proportionate measures in self-defense under Article 51 of UN Charter targeting base from which cowardly armed attack against our citizens & senior officials were launched. We do not seek escalation or war, but will defend ourselves against any aggression” today”.
Iran took & concluded proportionate measures in self-defense under Article 51 of UN Charter targeting base from which cowardly armed attack against our citizens & senior officials were launched.
— Javad Zarif (@JZarif) January 8, 2020
We do not seek escalation or war, but will defend ourselves against any aggression.
Soon after the missile attacks, Trump, US President, tweeted “All is well! Missiles launched from Iran at two military bases located in Iraq. Assessment of casualties & damages taking place now. So far, so good! We have the most powerful and well equipped military anywhere in the world, by far! I will be making a statement tomorrow morning”.
All is well! Missiles launched from Iran at two military bases located in Iraq. Assessment of casualties & damages taking place now. So far, so good! We have the most powerful and well equipped military anywhere in the world, by far! I will be making a statement tomorrow morning.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2020
Jonathan Hoffman, Pentagon’s spokesperson said “we are working on initial battle damage assessments”, adding “Iran launched more than a dozen ballistic missiles against US military and coalition forces in Iraq”.
Hoffman also said that it is clear that the missiles “were launched from Iran and targeted at least two Iraqi military bases hosting US military and coalition personnel at Al-Assad and Irbil”.
