A Boeing 737-800 operated by Ukrainian International Airlines has crashed just a few minutes after take off killing all 176 people on board.
The aircraft, flight PS 752, took off from Imam Khomeini airport (IKA) in Iran at 06:12 this morning and crashed around 8 minutes later according to flight tracking websites. It had 167 passengers and 9 crew on board and was bound for Kiev International Airport (IEV), Ukraine.
According to the Ukrainian Embassy in Tehran, the crash was not cause by terrorism. Preliminary information suggested that the tragic accident was caused by an engine malfunction and the Iranian news agency, IRNA, reported that the aircraft suffered technical difficulties just after take off. The pilot lost control when a fire broke out in one of the engines according to a spokesman for Iran’s road and transport ministry, Qassem Biniaz.
Data from FlightRadar 24 shows that the aircraft has been in service for around 3 1/2 year and suggests that the accident could have happened as quickly as two minutes after takeoff.
The crash has happened just a few days before David Calhoun formally takes on the top job of CEO at the company. Calhoun replaces Dennis Muilenburg, who was kicked out in December 2019 following a disastrous year for Boeing. The company is still suffering from problems caused by the crashes of two 737 Max crashes which has forced them to halt production and ground all aircraft of that type.
According to Ukraine International Airlines, the aircraft passed a technical inspection on 6th January. It has said that it is doing everything possible to find out the cause of the crash and that it has suspended all flights to Tehran “indefinitely”.
The accident occurred just before the FAA announced that it would call for the suspension of all flights to the region following heightened tensions between Iran and the USA.
