This archive report was first published on 8 January 2020.
On January 8, 2020, a Ukrainian Boeing 737 crashed in Iran, killing at least 170 people, just minutes after taking off from Imam Khomeini Airport in Tehran.
The plane, which was bound for Kiev, burst into flames after crashing a few kilometers from the airport.
According to Pirhossein Koulivand, head of Iran's emergency services, the fire was so intense that rescue efforts were hindered.
'The fire is so heavy that we cannot (do) and rescue… we have 22 ambulances, four bus ambulances, and a helicopter at the site,' Koulivand told state television.
Reza Jafarzadeh, spokesperson for Iran's Civil Aviation Organization, confirmed that the plane was carrying 170 passengers.
FlightRade24 data indicated that the plane was Flight PS 752, and it was only three years old.
However, the airline call center in Kiev said they had no information about the crash at the time of the incident.
There were conflicting reports about the number of passengers on board, with some alleging that the plane carried 180 passengers and crew.
