A Ukrainian Airlines passenger plane crashed in Iran.
The Boeing 737 airliner was carrying nearly 200 passengers and crew when it crashed because of suspected technical difficulties shortly after taking off from Imam Khomeini International Airport in Tehran early Wednesday, according to Iranian state television.
All 176 of those on board were reported dead after the plane went down in a ball of flames. Of the deceased, 167 were passengers, while the other nine were crew members. The victims included 82 Iranians, 63 Canadians, 11 Ukrainians, 10 Swedes, four Afghans, three Germans, and three British nationals.
Initial reports from Iranian media indicated there were 180 passengers.
The aircraft was heading to Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine. A representative for Ukraine International Airlines said the plane was last checked on Jan. 6 and that there have been no previous complaints about the jet.
The crash happened hours after Iran launched missile attacks on Iraqi bases that host U.S. troops.
