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| Iran plane crash: 'More time needed for investigation' - Ukraine | Iran plane crash: 'More time needed for investigation' - Ukraine |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| It is too soon to draw any conclusions on what brought down a Ukrainian passenger plane in Iran on Wednesday, Ukraine's foreign minister has said. | It is too soon to draw any conclusions on what brought down a Ukrainian passenger plane in Iran on Wednesday, Ukraine's foreign minister has said. |
| "We have so many different versions of what could [have] happened to the plane that we need some time to really understand," Vadym Prystaiko said. | "We have so many different versions of what could [have] happened to the plane that we need some time to really understand," Vadym Prystaiko said. |
| His comments come a day after Western powers said they had strong evidence that the plane was hit by an Iranian missile - a claim rejected by Tehran. | His comments come a day after Western powers said they had strong evidence that the plane was hit by an Iranian missile - a claim rejected by Tehran. |
| All 176 people on board were killed. | All 176 people on board were killed. |
| The crash of Ukraine International Airlines flight PS752 near Tehran airport came just hours after Iran carried out missile strikes on two airbases housing US forces in Iraq. | The crash of Ukraine International Airlines flight PS752 near Tehran airport came just hours after Iran carried out missile strikes on two airbases housing US forces in Iraq. |
| US media have speculated that the Boeing 737-800 may have been mistaken for a warplane as Iran prepared for possible American retaliation. | US media have speculated that the Boeing 737-800 may have been mistaken for a warplane as Iran prepared for possible American retaliation. |
| Footage has emerged purportedly showing a plane being hit by a projectile over the Iranian capital. | Footage has emerged purportedly showing a plane being hit by a projectile over the Iranian capital. |
| Victims of the crash included 82 Iranians, 63 Canadians and 11 Ukrainians as well as nationals from Sweden, the UK, Afghanistan and Germany. | Victims of the crash included 82 Iranians, 63 Canadians and 11 Ukrainians as well as nationals from Sweden, the UK, Afghanistan and Germany. |
| Iran has promised a full investigation. However, TV images from the crash site on Thursday showed a mechanical digger helping to clear debris away, raising concerns that important evidence could have been removed. | Iran has promised a full investigation. However, TV images from the crash site on Thursday showed a mechanical digger helping to clear debris away, raising concerns that important evidence could have been removed. |
| Meanwhile, the so-called "black box" recovered from the wreckage was due to be opened on Friday, Iran's official Irna news agency reported. | |
| Black boxes contain the flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder, and could provide vital clues about what caused the crash. | Black boxes contain the flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder, and could provide vital clues about what caused the crash. |
| What does Ukraine say? | What does Ukraine say? |
| At Friday's news briefing in Ukraine's capital Kyiv, Mr Prystaiko reiterated that at this stage Ukrainian investigators were not ruling out any possible cause of the crash. | At Friday's news briefing in Ukraine's capital Kyiv, Mr Prystaiko reiterated that at this stage Ukrainian investigators were not ruling out any possible cause of the crash. |
| But he called for the "level of speculation" to be reduced, adding that Ukraine wanted to establish an "international coalition" to conduct a thorough investigation. | But he called for the "level of speculation" to be reduced, adding that Ukraine wanted to establish an "international coalition" to conduct a thorough investigation. |
| Mr Prystaiko said nearly 50 Ukrainian investigators were already working in Iran, and there was "full co-operation" from Tehran. | Mr Prystaiko said nearly 50 Ukrainian investigators were already working in Iran, and there was "full co-operation" from Tehran. |
| "We are analysing pieces of the body of the plane, we are analysing the bodies of the people who died in the crash. | "We are analysing pieces of the body of the plane, we are analysing the bodies of the people who died in the crash. |
| "We are analysing the chemical residues on the body of the plane. We will come to our conclusion, we don't want to come to them right now. | "We are analysing the chemical residues on the body of the plane. We will come to our conclusion, we don't want to come to them right now. |
| "Our team has now got access to the black boxes," he said, stressing that Ukraine wanted them to be analysed in Kyiv. | "Our team has now got access to the black boxes," he said, stressing that Ukraine wanted them to be analysed in Kyiv. |
| Iran earlier said it would download the information itself, adding that the process could take up to two months. | Iran earlier said it would download the information itself, adding that the process could take up to two months. |
| Kyiv earlier said the US had passed on "important data" about the crash, without providing any further details. | Kyiv earlier said the US had passed on "important data" about the crash, without providing any further details. |
| Ukraine's team in Iran includes experts who worked on the investigation into the 2014 downing by a missile of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 in eastern Ukraine. | Ukraine's team in Iran includes experts who worked on the investigation into the 2014 downing by a missile of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 in eastern Ukraine. |
| What does Iran say? | What does Iran say? |
| Earlier on Friday, Iran's Civil Aviation Organisation (CAOI) chief Ali Abedzadeh repeated his view that a missile was not the cause of the crash. | Earlier on Friday, Iran's Civil Aviation Organisation (CAOI) chief Ali Abedzadeh repeated his view that a missile was not the cause of the crash. |
| "The thing that is clear to us and that we can say with certainty is that this plane was not hit by a missile," he told reporters. | "The thing that is clear to us and that we can say with certainty is that this plane was not hit by a missile," he told reporters. |
| On Thursday, government spokesman Ali Rabiei accused the US and its allies of "lying and engaging in psychological warfare" in their speculation over the cause of the accident. | On Thursday, government spokesman Ali Rabiei accused the US and its allies of "lying and engaging in psychological warfare" in their speculation over the cause of the accident. |
| An Iranian official told the BBC on Friday that there was documentation to prove that the plane had a mechanical issue before take-off. It was not signed off for flying, but Ukrainian airline officials had overruled these objections, the official said, without giving further details. | An Iranian official told the BBC on Friday that there was documentation to prove that the plane had a mechanical issue before take-off. It was not signed off for flying, but Ukrainian airline officials had overruled these objections, the official said, without giving further details. |
| What has been said about a possible missile strike? | What has been said about a possible missile strike? |
| Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he had received intelligence from multiple sources indicating the plane was shot down by an Iranian surface-to-air missile, adding that it was possible that this was unintentional. | Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he had received intelligence from multiple sources indicating the plane was shot down by an Iranian surface-to-air missile, adding that it was possible that this was unintentional. |
| "This reinforces the need for a thorough investigation," he said. "Canadians have questions and they deserve answers." | "This reinforces the need for a thorough investigation," he said. "Canadians have questions and they deserve answers." |
| But he said it was too early to apportion blame or draw any conclusions, and refused to go into detail about the evidence. | But he said it was too early to apportion blame or draw any conclusions, and refused to go into detail about the evidence. |
| The Ukrainian flight was headed to the Canadian city of Toronto via Kyiv. | The Ukrainian flight was headed to the Canadian city of Toronto via Kyiv. |
| UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson echoed Mr Trudeau's words and said Britain was working closely with Canada and other international partners affected by the crash. | UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson echoed Mr Trudeau's words and said Britain was working closely with Canada and other international partners affected by the crash. |
| UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said British nationals were advised not to travel to Iran, "given the body of information that UIA Flight 752 was shot down by an Iranian surface-to-air missile, and the heightened tensions". | UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said British nationals were advised not to travel to Iran, "given the body of information that UIA Flight 752 was shot down by an Iranian surface-to-air missile, and the heightened tensions". |
| Newsweek quoted a Pentagon and senior US intelligence officials, as well as an Iraqi intelligence official, as saying they believed flight PS752 was hit by a Russian-made Tor missile. | Newsweek quoted a Pentagon and senior US intelligence officials, as well as an Iraqi intelligence official, as saying they believed flight PS752 was hit by a Russian-made Tor missile. |
| Video obtained by the New York Times appeared to show a missile streaking across the night sky over Tehran and then exploding on contact with a plane. About 10 seconds later, a loud explosion is heard on the ground. | Video obtained by the New York Times appeared to show a missile streaking across the night sky over Tehran and then exploding on contact with a plane. About 10 seconds later, a loud explosion is heard on the ground. |
| What about the investigation? | What about the investigation? |
| Iran initially said it would not hand over the recovered "black boxes" to Boeing, the plane's manufacturer, or to the US. | Iran initially said it would not hand over the recovered "black boxes" to Boeing, the plane's manufacturer, or to the US. |
| This followed the killing of top Iranian general Qasem Soleimani in a US drone attack on 3 January and the subsequent strikes against US bases in Iraq on Wednesday. | This followed the killing of top Iranian general Qasem Soleimani in a US drone attack on 3 January and the subsequent strikes against US bases in Iraq on Wednesday. |
| However, the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) later confirmed it had been invited to take part in the investigation and would send a representative. | However, the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) later confirmed it had been invited to take part in the investigation and would send a representative. |
| Boeing said it would support the NTSB in the inquiry, and the Transportation Safety Board of Canada said it had also been invited to the accident site by Tehran. | Boeing said it would support the NTSB in the inquiry, and the Transportation Safety Board of Canada said it had also been invited to the accident site by Tehran. |
| France's BEA air accident agency said on Friday it had also been invited to take part in the investigation. | France's BEA air accident agency said on Friday it had also been invited to take part in the investigation. |