Iran plane crash: Ukraine Boeing 737 carrying 180 people crashes near Tehran
A Ukrainian plane carrying 180 passengers and crew has crashed near the airport in Tehran, Iranian state TV has said.
The Boeing 737 crashed after experiencing technical problems, Fars news agency said, shortly after it departed from Imam Khomeini International Airport in the Iranian capital.
An investigation team was at the site of the crash in southwestern outskirts of Tehran, civil aviation spokesman Reza Jafarzadeh said.
"The plane is on fire but we have sent crews ... and we may be able to save some passengers," Pirhossein Koulivand, head of Iran's emergency services, told the news agency.
Flight data from the airport showed a Ukrainian 737-800 flown by Ukraine International Airlines took off on Wednesday morning, then stopped sending data about eight minutes later, according to racking website FlightRadar24.
#Breaking First footage of the Ukrainian airplane while on fire falling near #Tehranpic.twitter.com/kGxnBb7f1q
— Ali Hashem علي هاشم (@alihashem_tv) January 8, 2020
The airline did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Ali Hashem, a BBC correspondent, tweeted a video which he claimed showed the plane falling through the air while aflame before crashing into the ground and exploding.
It is not clear whether the incident is related to Iran's missile attacks on US bases in Iraq on Wednesday morning.
