Iran shot down plane with two Russian-made missiles, US official says

By Tara John, Meg Wagner, Mike Hayes, Fernando Alfonso III and Veronica Rocha, CNN

Updated 2:07 a.m. ET, January 10, 2020
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4:22 p.m. ET, January 9, 2020

JUST IN: Video appears to show missile hitting object in sky over Tehran

From CNN's Paul P. Murphy

Two frames from a video sent to CNN that appears to show a missile fired into the Tehran sky early Wednesday morning and striking an object in the sky.
Two frames from a video sent to CNN that appears to show a missile fired into the Tehran sky early Wednesday morning and striking an object in the sky. Obtained by Nariman Gharib

Video sent to CNN appears to show a missile fired into the Tehran sky early Wednesday morning and striking an object in the sky. Around that time, a Ukranian airliner crashed shortly after takeoff.

CNN cannot verify the authenticity of the video, but the buildings seen in it appears similar to ones that are in the Iranian capitol suburb of Parand. The Ukrainian plane crashed just north of the suburb.

The video, obtained by Nariman Gharib who then sent it to CNN and the New York Times, shows a light in the sky, moving left to right and then exploding. 

CNN has asked Gharib for more information of who took the video and how he obtained it, but has not yet received a response.

The US increasingly believes that Iran mistakenly shot down a Ukrainian airliner on Tuesday, according to multiple US officials. The working theory is based on continuing analysis of data from satellites, radar and electronic data collected routinely by US military and intelligence.

The flight was downed following Iranian strikes on US forces in Iraq.

The Ukrainian Jetliner that crashed Wednesday was shot down by two Russian made surface to air missiles (SA-15), according to a US official familiar with the intelligence. The US saw Iranian radar signals lock onto the jetliner, before it being shot down.

4:42 p.m. ET, January 9, 2020

There's a "body of information" that Iranian missile brought down Ukraine plane, UK leader says

From CNN's Sarah Dean

There's now a "body of information" that the Ukrainian airliner, which crashed shortly after takeoff in Tehran, was shot down by an Iranian missile, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in a statement today:

"There is now a body of information that the flight was shot down by an Iranian Surface to Air Missile. This may well have been unintentional. We are working closely with Canada and our international partners and there now needs to be a full, transparent investigation."

Four British nationals were on board the flight, the statement said, and it is now "vital that there should be an immediate and respectful repatriation of those who’ve lost their lives to allow their families to grieve properly."

"The UK continues to call on all sides urgently to deescalate to reduce tensions in the region."

4:03 p.m. ET, January 9, 2020

Ukraine's president: "This is a terrible tragedy"

From CNN's Milena Veselinovic

Sergei Chuzavkov/AFP/Getty Images/FILE
Sergei Chuzavkov/AFP/Getty Images/FILE

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his condolences over the deaths of Canadian citizens in the airliner crash in a phone call with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

"This is a terrible tragedy and our shared pain," Zelensky said in a statement released today. 

Zelensky added that Ukraine is "interested in a transparent and objective investigation of the tragedy and finding the truth." 

About the victims: Of the 176 victims on board, 63 were Canadian. The country's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said 138 were going to fly on to Canada, and that their connecting flight had arrived in Toronto with many seats empty.

3:27 p.m. ET, January 9, 2020

Iran says it has invited the US to be present during crash investigation, report says

From CNN’s Larry Register and Hande Atay Alam

The head of the Iranian Investigating Committee of the Ukraine plane crash, Hassan Rezaeifar, said it has invited the United States “as the manufacturer of Boeing to be present” while the committee investigates the crash, according to the country's semi-official Fars News Agency.

Fars reported that “Boeing has named a representative without confirming their participation.”

CNN is reaching out to Boeing to see if Iran has contacted them and for any response. Representatives of Boeing would likely need permission from the US to travel to Iran because of existing sanctions

The Ukrainian airliner crashed after takeoff from Tehran on Wednesday local time, killing all 176 people on board, including dozens of Iranians and Canadians. 

3:07 p.m. ET, January 9, 2020

Ukrainian airliner was shot down by Iran with Russian-made surface-to-air missiles

From CNN's Barbara Starr

The Ukrainian plane that crashed Wednesday was shot down by two Russian-made surface to air missiles (SA-15), according to a US official familiar with the intelligence. 

The US saw Iranian radar signals lock onto the jetliner, before it was shot down.

The morning after the incident, US analysts discovered the data but took another day to verify.

3:20 p.m. ET, January 9, 2020

Trudeau: "I am willing to talk to anyone to get answers"

Dave Chan/AFP/Getty Images
Dave Chan/AFP/Getty Images

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hopes a thorough investigation will produce answers to why the Kiev-bound Ukraine International Airlines jet crashed after takeoff from Tehran on Wednesday.

"I am willing to talk to anyone to get answers," Trudeau said in a televised address from Ottawa.

Of the 176 people killed, 63 were Canadian.

3:05 p.m. ET, January 9, 2020

Trudeau won't say if US plays role in plane crash

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau deflected when asked about the United States' role in the Ukrainian airliner crash.

Asked how much responsibility the US bears for the crash given the tension in the region, here's what Trudeau said:

"The evidence suggests that this is the likely cause, but we need to have a full and complete and credible investigation to establish exactly what happened. That is what we are calling for and that is what we're expecting will happen."

"It is too soon to be drawing conclusions," Trudeau later said, adding that there needs to be a thorough investigation first.

3:26 p.m. ET, January 9, 2020

Trudeau says Canada has intelligence showing the plane was shot down by Iranian surface-to-air missile

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canadian officials have intelligence from their own sources and Canada's allies that shows Ukrainian International Airlines flight 752 was shot down by an Iranian surface-to-air missile.

"This may have been unintentional," Trudeau said today, adding that international partners should be involved in the investigation.

Trudeau added: "It is extremely important that there be a thorough and credible investigation."

Iranian authorities have indicated that they want to keep the plane's black boxes within the country, Trudeau said.

Watch Trudeau's remarks:

2:16 p.m. ET, January 9, 2020

Ukraine asks international partners: "If you have any evidence to assist the investigation, please provide it"

From CNN's Sebastian Shukla and journalist Denis Lapin in Kiev

Ukraine has called on its international partners to provide any evidence they might have that would shed light on the crash of the Ukrainian airliner, the Office of the President of Ukraine said in a statement on Thursday. 

"Today the President of Ukraine has had telephone conversations with leaders of several countries, including the Prime Ministers of Canada and Sweden, the President of Iran. Our country is interested in finding the truth. Therefore, we turn to Ukraine's international partners: if you have any evidence to assist the investigation, please provide it," the statement said.