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Ukrainian Boeing 737 heading towards Ukraine Wednesday evening crashes, resulting in the deaths of 176 people

A Ukraine International Airlines Boeing 737 heading towards Kyiv, Ukraine crashed only minutes after takeoff from Tehran, Iran Wednesday evening, killing all 9 crew members and 167 passengers on board, according to CNBC. 82 Iranians, 63 Canadians, and 11 Ukrainians died in the crash of Flight 752, according to a tweet from Ukrainian foreign Minister Vadym Prystaiko, along with 10 Swedes, 4 Afghans, 3 Germans, and 3 British nationals. ~

The crash came just hours after Iran attacked US military positions in Iraq in retaliation to the killing of General Qasem Soleimani. However, the cause of the crash remains unknown, and it is unclear whether the tensions in Iran are in anyway related to the tragic incident. According to an Iranian News Agency, the jet may have crashed due to technical problems, but It might take months to determine the absolute cause of the crash. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Facebook that his government is sending a team of experts and security officials to Iran Wednesday evening to investigate the plane crash near Tehran. “Tonight our plane with a team of experts is going to Iran,” Zelensky wrote. “All of them will be involved in the investigation, identification and repatriation of the bodies of Ukrainians killed in the plane crash.” ~

“This is a tragic event and our heartfelt thoughts are with the crew, passengers, and their families,” Boeing said in a statement Wednesday. “We are in contact with our airline customers and stand by them in this difficult time. We are ready to assist in any way needed.” The plane was a Boeing 737-800 – a predecessor to the company’s 737 Max – which has been grounded since March after its involvement in two fatal crashes that resulted in the deaths of 346 people. Although there has been no indication that the cause of the crash is due to manufacturing issues, the crash of Flight 752 could add to the crisis Boeing has been grappling with over the different jet in following months. ~

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