Iran To Send Black Boxes Of Downed Airliner To Ukraine For Analysis: Reports

An Iranian official on Saturday said that Tehran will send the black box flight recorders of the Ukrainian airliner, Boeing 737-800, which was accidentally shot down by it, for further analysis to Ukraine, reports Iranian news agency. Hassan Rezaeifer, the head of accident investigations for the civil aviation, said that further analysis was not possible in Iran and experts from France, America and Canada will help analyse the black box in Kiev.

In case the analysis is not successful in Kiev, the boxes will then be handed over to France, news agency Tasnim quotes Rezaeifer as saying.

Canada Asks Iran To Send Black Box To France

Earlier on Friday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau urged Iran to hand over the damaged black boxes to France. Trudeau said France has one of the few laboratories capable of properly examining them.

"Iran does not have the level of technical expertise and mostly the equipment necessary to be able to analyse these damaged black boxes quickly," Trudeau said.

Also Read: Iran Plane Crash: Trudeau Urges Tehran To Send Downed Jetliner's Black Boxes To France

The plane, en route to the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, was carrying 167 passengers and nine crew members from several countries, including 82 Iranians, at least 57 Canadians and 11 Ukrainians.

The other five nations have demanded Iran accept full responsibility and aksed it to pay compensation to the victims’ families.

Iran Accepts The Error

Three days after the incident, Iran had admitted responsibility after Western leaders said there was strong evidence the plane was hit by a surface-to-air missile.

‘Regretting’ the crash, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani had offered ‘condolences’ to the families of the victims.

Also Read: Watch: Exact Moment When 2 Iranian Missiles Hit Ukraine Jet That Killed 176

The plane’s engine was designed by CFM International, a joint company between French group Safran and US group GE Aviation. Experts from both the countries have been invited to probe the accident.

(With inputs from agencies)