TEHRAN, IRAN. (THECOUNT) — The aerospace commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said Saturday that they fired a missile that brought down a Ukrainian passenger jetliner.
The news comes after photos emerged depicting the crashed Boeing 737 claim to show the plane was “likely” shot down as wreckage shows “obvious projectile holes,” experts say Wednesday.
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“It was a short-range missile that exploded next to the plane. That’s why the plane was able” to continue flying for a while, Brigadier General Amirali Hajizadeh said in remarks aired on state TV. “It exploded when it hit the ground,” reports ChannelsTV.
The Kiev-bound Ukraine International Airlines jet came down shortly after taking off from Tehran Airport in Iran this morning, killing everyone on board.
Ukraine minister of foreign affairs Vadym Prystaiko said, 63 Canadians, 82 Iranians and 11 Ukrainians were on board the Ukraine International Airlines Boeing 737 that crashed shortly after take-off from Iran’s Imam Khomeini airport in Tehran.
The Ukrainian nationals included two passengers and the nine crew. There were also 10 Swedish, four Afghan, three German and three British nationals.
The crash, which killed everyone on board, happened Wednesday morning hours after Iran launched a ballistic missile attack on two Iraqi bases housing U.S. soldiers, but both Ukrainian and Iranian officials say they suspected a mechanical issue brought down the Boeing 737-800 aircraft, reports CalgaryHerald.
Global Affairs Canada did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Airline officials said most of the passengers were en route to the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, transiting through there to other destinations.
Geo quick facts: Tehran is the capital of Iran, in the north of the country. Its central Golestan Palace complex, with its ornate rooms and marble throne, was the seat of power of the Qajar dynasty. The National Jewelry Museum holds many of the Qajar monarchs’ jewels, while the National Museum of Iran has artifacts dating back to Paleolithic times. The Milad Tower offers panoramic views over the city – wikipedia.