US transportation safety agency monitoring Ukraine crash developments

The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is monitoring developments surrounding the crash on Wednesday of a Boeing 737 shortly after take-off from Tehran that killed all 176 people on board.

NTSB could seek to participate in the Iran crash investigation as an accredited representative to the investigation under international law because it was a US certified plane.

NTSB spokesman Christopher O’Neil said the NTSB is “following its standard procedures for international aviation accident investigations, including long-standing restrictions under the country embargoes. As part of its usual procedures, the NTSB is working with the State Department and other agencies to determine the best course of action.”

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NTSB has not participated in other recent crashes in Iran of US-certified planes

In a related development, Iran said it will not give the black box of the crashed Ukrainian airliner to plane maker Boeing, the head of Tehran’s civil aviation organisation was quoted as saying on Wednesday.

Ali Abedzadeh also said it was not clear which country Iran would send the box to so that its data could be analyzed, semi-official Mehr news agency reported.