KABUL: Ten 10 Afghan nationals are among victims of a Ukrainian passenger airplane crash in Iran on Wednesday.
The Ukrainian airliner burst into flames shortly after take-off from Tehran on Wednesday, killing all 176 people aboard in a crash that an initial report blamed on engine failure.
Debris and smouldering engine parts were strewn across a field around 10 km (six miles) from Imam Khomeini airport as rescue workers with face masks retrieved bodies of the victims.
Ukraine's embassy in Iran, citing preliminary information, said the Boeing 737 suffered engine failure and the crash was not caused by "terrorism".
Iranian officials said a woman were among 10 Afghans who also lost their lives in the crash.
Other victims of the incident included 82 Iranians, 63 Canadians, 11 Ukrainians, 10 Swedish citizens and some others from other countries.
Murtaza Salimi, head of Iran’s Red Crescent, said there was no survivor in the incident.
The plane was en route from Tehran to Kiev, capital of Ukraine.
Eyewitnesses said the airplane caught fire in the air and fell to the ground in a few seconds.
Some international companies stopped flights to Iran and via Iran air space after the incident. (pajwak)