Iran invites Boeing to inspect Ukrainian 737 plane crash amid missile claims

Luke O'Reilly10 January 2020

Iran has invited Boeing experts to inspect the remains of a Ukrainian International Airlines plane that crashed minutes after take-off in Tehran.

It comes as several Western leaders blamed Iran for the crash, which killed all 176 people on board, claiming the country's missile defence system shot the plane down by mistake.

The crash on Wednesday morning came just a few hours after Iran launched a ballistic attack against Iraqi military bases housing US troops following the US drone strike that killed Iranian Revolutionary Guard general Qasem Soleimani.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, whose country lost 63 citizens in the crash, has vowed to get answers.

Meanwhile Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has called for a “full and transparent” investigation into the crash, as he said victims’ families “deserve to know the truth”.

Iran: Tehran Plane Crash - In pictures

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Previously, Iran refused to give the plane's black box over to Boeing.

Seyyed Abbas Mousavi, spokesman for Iran's foreign ministry, tweeted: "Investigations on the cause of the Ukrainian plane crash have launched based on Int. standards & ICAO regulations; Ukraine and Boeing have been invited- as the owner & the manufacturer- to take part in it.

"We appreciate any country who can provide info to the Committee in charge."

British newlyweds Niloufar Ebrahim (left) and Saeed Tahmasebi Khademasadi, died in the crash
PA

The flight recorders, known as black boxes despite their orange colour, provide key information for investigators about the final moments of aircraft before serious crashes.

The flight data recorder (FDR) will provide a record of how the plane's systems operated and the actions of the pilots over several hours prior to the incident.

From the cockpit voice recorder, investigators may also be able to determine more about the last actions of the pilots, who did not send a mayday warning.

The black box may hold a clue as to the plane's final moments
ISNA/AFP via Getty Images

Under International Civil Aviation Organisation rules, investigations into air crashes are led by the country where the accident took place but other countries may be involved including the country of the manufacturer.

On Wednesday, the head of the Iran Civil Aviation Organisation, Ali Abedzadeh, was quoted as saying that Iran would not give the flight recorder to US-based Boeing or US authorities.

Mr Abedzadeh added that it is unclear which country the black box will be sent to for investigation. Ukraine is expected to be involved in the process.

Iranian state media has reported both recorders have already been recovered from the wreckage.

Graham Brathwaite, Professor of Safety and Accident Investigation and Director of Transport Systems at Cranfield University, said: "One of the other states that would normally participate is the state of the manufacturer, in this case the United States National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

"It would be difficult for the NTSB to deploy to Iran at the moment, so there is provision for another state to volunteer its services."

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