Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau vowed his government will get answers after a Ukrainian Boeing 737 passenger jet crashed, killing at least 63 Canadians, just minutes after taking off from Iran's capital.
Trudeau said his foreign minister has been in touch with the government of Ukraine and his transport minister is reaching out to his international counterparts.
Getting answers from Iran may prove difficult as Canada closed its embassy in Iran in 2012 and suspended diplomatic relations.
RELATED: 737 crashes near Tehran, killing 176
The crash of the Ukraine International Airlines plane came hours after Iran launched a ballistic missile attack on Iraqi bases housing U.S. soldiers.
A spokesman for Iran's Road and Transportation Ministry said one of the engines caught fire. Then, the pilot reportedly lost control, sending it into the ground.
The crash killed all 176 people on board.
The majority of the passengers were Iranian nationals, Russia’s RIA Novosti agency reported, citing Iranian authorities.
The flight tracking website FlightRadar 24 identifies it as Ukraine International Airlines flight PS 752. It originated in Tehran and was headed to Kyiv.
"This is a tragic event and our heartfelt thoughts are with the crew, passengers, and their families," Boeing said in 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."
