In fresh statement, Ukraine Embassy omits mention of engine failure as cause of plane crash

In a new statement issued a few hours after the plane crash that took place near Tehran airport which left no surviours, the Ukrainian embassy here omitted the mention of engine failure as a cause of the tragic incident.

On Wednesday morning, the engine failure was mentioned as the cause of the crash. However, the embassy, in the new statement, said that any previous statements on the cause of the crash had not been official.

The embassy statement read that the Ukraine International Airlines aircraft (UIA), flight number PS752, from Tehran to Kyiv "disappeared from the radars a few minutes after departure" from the Tehran International Airport.

According to preliminary data, there were 167 passengers and 9 crew members on board.

The UIA representatives are currently clarifying the exact number of passengers on board.

Passenger lists will be posted on the airline's website after the final confirmation of their presence on board of the aircraft, said the statement.

The airline has expressed its deepest condolences to the families of the victims of the air crash and will do everything possible to support the relatives of the victims.

"With immediate effect, the UIA has decided to suspend its flights to Tehran until further notice," the statement said.

Meanwhile, Iran's Civil Aviation Organisation on Wednesday said that it will not hand over the black boxes retrieved from the crashed plane.

Both black boxes were found earlier today. An Iranian official was quoted as saying that both boxes were damaged but it was believed that their data could still be retrieved.