Ukrainian planes banned from flying over Iraq

09.01.2020 09:53

Ukrinform

Ukraine's State Aviation Service has banned Ukrainian airlines from performing flights in Iraq's airspace, Prime Minister Oleksiy Honcharuk has reported on Facebook.

According to the report, the ban comes into force from 00:00 on January 9, 2020. It applies to all aircraft operators registered in Ukraine.

According to the prime minister, the unscheduled inspection of "ensuring flight activity, maintaining the airworthiness of aircraft, performing the maintenance of aviation equipment and the flight safety management system of PJSC Ukraine International Airlines" is already beginning.

Earlier it was reported that Ukraine had decided to suspend the operation of Ukrainian airlines in Iran's airspace.

A Ukraine International Airlines plane (Flight PS752) heading from Tehran to Kyiv crashed shortly after taking off from the Imam Khomeini International Airport at about 06:00 Tehran time (04:30 Kyiv time) on Wednesday, January 8.

There were 176 people on board the aircraft - 167 passengers (including two Ukrainians) and nine crew (all Ukrainians). Most of the victims of the Ukrainian plane crash in Tehran are citizens of Iran (82) and Canada (63). Those killed in the crash also include ten Swedes, four citizens of Afghanistan, three Germans, and three Britons.

The probable cause of the plane crash is an engine failure.

Earlier, UIA released a list of deceased crewmembers - three pilots and six flight attendants.