Iran says it ‘unintentionally’ shot down Ukrainian jetliner

FILE - In this Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2020 file photo, debris at the scene where a Ukrainian plane crashed in Shahedshahr southwest of the capital Tehran, Iran. The crash of a Ukrainian jetliner near Tehran this week that killed all 176 on board comes as a test for Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who took office less than eight months ago with no prior political experience. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi, File) (Ebrahim Noroozi, Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

TEHRAN, Iran. – Iran announced Saturday that its military `unintentionally’ shot down a Ukrainian jetliner, killing all 176 aboard.

The statement came Saturday morning and blamed “human error” for the shootdown.

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The jetliner, a Boeing 737 operated by Ukrainian International Airlines, went down on the outskirts of Tehran during takeoff just hours after Iran launched a barrage of missiles at U.S. forces.

Iran had denied for several days that a missile downed the aircraft. But then the U.S. and Canada, citing intelligence, said they believe Iran shot down the aircraft.

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 63 Canadians and 11 Ukrainians, according to officials

READ: US officials: ‘Highly likely’ Iran downed Ukrainian jetliner