A Boeing 737 plane taking off from Iran and heading towards Ukraine crashed near Tehran minutes after taking off, killing everyone on board Wednesday morning.
A total of 167 passengers and nine crew members died as a result of the crash. Iran recovered the plane’s black box and is reportedly refusing to give it over to Boeing, according to Business Insider, who cited the local Mehr news agency.
The Boeing 737’s black box could hold details about why the plane crashed.
A spokesperson for Boeing said there was nothing wrong with the plane and it had an experienced crew, CNBC reported. The plan was serviced on Jan. 6, according to the spokesperson.
Firefighters and security forces gather amidst the debris of a Boeing 707 cargo plane that reportedly crashed into a residential complex near the Iranian capital Tehran with at least 10 people onboard on January 14, 2019. (HASAN SHIRVANI/AFP via Getty Images)
The fire at the crash site resulted in rescue efforts being paused, CNBC reported.
“This is a tragic event and our heartfelt thoughts are with the crew, passengers, and their families,” Boeing said according to a statement. “We are in contact with our airline customer and stand by them in this difficult time. We are ready to assist in any way needed.”
There have been two other Boeing plane crashes in past months and both took place shortly after takeoff, Business Insider reported. This Boeing 737 is an older model of the plane that the company grounded in March. (RELATED: Boeing To Be Grounded For Months And Will Face A Difficult Return)