US believes Iran may have 'mistakenly shot down Ukranian plane': Reports
Washington/IBNS: United States officials on Thursday said they believe that Iran may have mistakenly shot down the Ukrainian International Airlines Boeing 737-800 with 176 people on board, media reports said.
"The US increasingly believes that Iran mistakenly shot down a Ukrainian airliner, according to multiple US officials," the CNN reported.
The flight was reportedly hit by a missile which resulted in the death of all passengers and crew members.
CBS News quoting US intelligence said a satellite detected infrared "blips" of two missile launches, followed by another blip of an explosion.
The crash came just hours after Iran carried out strikes on two US military bases in Iraq.
US President Donald Trump on Thursday was quoted in media as saying that "I have my suspicions" over the plane crash.
"Somebody could have made a mistake," he said.
After taking off from Imam Khomeini Airport in Tehran at 06:12 local time, the Ukraine International Airlines flight PS752 to Kiev crashed shortly on Wednesday.
Ukraine's Tehran embassy initially blamed engine failure but later removed the statement. It said any comment regarding the cause of the accident prior to a commission's inquiry was not official, reported BBC.
Since the crash came hours after the Iranian strikes on US forces, the theory that the plane could have been hit by a missile by Iran is now gaining momentum among US officials.
US had earlier eliminated top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani in airstrike.
Image credit : UNI
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