YEREVAN, JANUARY 8, ARMENPRESS. A Boeing 737 plane operated by Ukraine International Airlines has crashed shortly after takeoff from Imam Khomeini Airport in Tehran early Wednesday local time, Iranian media reported.

There are conflicting reports about the exact number of passengers and crew on board, with IRNA reporting 170 and CNN reporting 180.

According to ISNA, the crash was due to technical difficulties and “most passengers on board” are dead.

According to IRNA the plane was heading to Kiev.

UPDATES:

09:40 - A spokesperson for the Imam Khomeini Airport said the plane was carrying 167 passengers and nine crew members and all were killed in the crash. 

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan