we begin with the breaking news of a
Ukrainian passenger jet plane has
crashed shortly after takeoff from
Tehran killing at least 170 passengers
and crew rescue workers say there were
no survivors the Ukraine International
Airlines Boeing 737 was bound for Kiev
Iranian media reports say the aircraft
came down due to technical problems one
official said it had been on fire well
our news reporter Gareth Barlow is with
me
Gareth what more can you tell us like
you say this Boeing 737-800 had only
just left the airport in Iran destined
for Ukraine crashed very shortly after
takeoff satellite tracking suggest that
it it crashed somewhere in hilly rugged
terrain and footage from the scene shows
widespread debris the emergency services
retrieving bodies with body bags the Red
Crescent the Reuters news agency also
appointed reporting the Iranian state
media saying that there are no survivors
at least a hundred and seventy people
have died in this incident the figures
are slightly variable but we know at
least 170 have died and emergency
services being quoted saying the fire
was so heavy they couldn't do anything
to perform a rescue they had ambulances
and helicopters but unable to help it's
it's far from clear that the cause of
this crash we know the flight was
delayed by an hour and it was quite soon
after takeoff what we're being told is
technical issues
yes that's what state media is reporting
technical problems
it's an incredibly good aircraft it has
a very reliable safety record and the
737-800 is operated by lots of air lines
around the world it's very unusual for
them to crash at all let alone just
after takeoff this plane was only about
three-and-a-half years old so it's very
new very modern very technical aircraft
obviously we've been told there are
technical issues but there's no more
information and and just for those who
may be thinking about the 737 max this
is a completely different aircraft the
737 max entire fleet has been grounded
globally hasn't it yes last year since
last year this is the 737-800 for their
part Boeing the aircraft
Factory has put out a statement saying
it's aware of the reports in Iran and
it's gathering more information in the
moment that's all they've said so far
and where this plane crashed just
outside the International Airport in
Tehran it was quite difficult terrain to
get to wasn't it for those who were
trying to get there rescue workers etc
yes footage from the scene we're seeing
all the flight radar at the moment as it
leaves the airport it travels towards
more rugged mountainous terrain you can
see some of the reports from and the
footage from the scene showing you no
debris covering a wide wide area and no
real discernible parts of an aircraft it
is completely scattered and lots and
lots of small pieces meaning it's very
hard to try and ascertain any survivors
or the number of people killed and an
equally quite what caused this and in
terms of the current conflict between
Iran in the u.s. there's no reason to
believe there's a connection there's no
reason to believe there's a connection
obviously there many people will be
looking to see there is a connection but
there is no credible information thus
far to suggest there is so it is worth
noting though that the US Federal
Aviation Administration just a few hours
previously have prohibited all US Civil
Aviation carriers from operating above
Iraq and Iran and in the waters or above
the waters of the Persian Gulf from the
Gulf of Oman that's all American
Airlines but other international
airlines have followed suit as well so
there were concerns about that airspace
but nothing to suggest that this is
linked to that incident and the events
in Iran in recent hours okay thank you
for now Gareth bolo who's keeping a
close eye on all the developments for us
here in our newsroom in London but now
let's talk to Jonah Fisher or
correspondent in Kiev Jonah a terrible
terrible accident we assume it's an
accident at this point what the reaction
has there been in Kiev
yeah it's 8 o'clock in the morning here
in Kiev this is the time when that
flight this Ukrainian Airlines flight
was due to arrive here in Kiev if indeed
it had flown as scheduled in the last
half an hour or so obviously people here
have been waking up to this awful awful
news we've just had a statement put out
by Ukraine's President Vladimir at
Silencio just read
to you in fact I can't really chew
because my phone is frozen but there has
been a statement in which he called it
very scary sad news he talked about it
in terms of it being a disaster
certainly that's the phrases that have
been used widely here the foreign
ministry as echoed that saying that a
disaster had happened that the plane had
fallen near Tehran shortly after takeoff
so terrible news we've not had anything
from the airline Ukrainian international
airlines at the moment it's a privately
owned company here here in Ukraine this
plane of course a 737-800 very much a
workhorse of aviation particularly in
this part of the world not the as you
mentioned they're the eighth of the 737
max that has had safety problems so yeah
people here just finding out this awful
awful news we're waiting to see
passenger lists of course that's what
will likely likely come out next and
we'll find out exactly how many people
on board the estimates here vary from
anything between about 167 people on
board that plane and 180 and Ukraine
international airlines as you've
mentioned a private company the aviation
analyst I spoke to recently saying you
know they've got a great track record in
terms of safety like anyone who's flown
on in Ukrainian and International
Airlines well no it's not a flash
airline many of its planes are kind of
solid workhorses like this you don't get
any frills onboard but it does have a
good safety record we've been going back
through the files we can't see any
record of any sort of recent crash or
problem with Ukrainian Airlines aircraft
so yes as you mentioned it does have a
pretty solid say safety record and as
for now we simply don't know what has
caused this or we can go with it moment
is the official information being put
out by Iranian state media describing
this as some sort of technical problem
yeah as you say a technical problem the
plane was delayed from taking off
initially some reports saying there was
there was a fire scene on the plane or
board or what-have-you but as we as you
say we're having to wait on we for these
details
from the airline itself and I guess that
the government in Kiev was well we'll
make a statement saying I've just I just
managed to get my phone to work so I can
tell you in full now what the we had
from the the president here Vladimir is
a Lenski I'll just read it to you a
scary message from the Near East this is
a translation from his Ukrainian this
morning after takeoff from the
International Airport in Tehran
a Ukrainian Airlines aircraft suffered a
disaster and fell near the airport all
passengers and crew members died the
Embassy is going to of course keep all
the family involve them informed on all
the information as it comes through and
there will be lists coming forward of
course of who was onboard that aircraft
and mr. szalinski president zalenski
says his sincere condolences to the
family and loved ones of all passengers
and and all crewmembers so a really
awful day here in Ukraine Thank You
Jonah Fischer who is with us joining us
from the capital Kiev well let's now