Ukraine deletes statement suggesting technical problems were to blame for crash of airliner

Ukraine’s embassy in Iran has appeared to delete a statement suggesting technical problems were to blame for the crash of a passenger jet near Tehran on Wednesday morning.

That statement appeared to back up earlier assertions by Iranian officials that a faulty engine had led to the accident.

“According to preliminary information,” the statement had read, “the plane crashed as a result of a technical failure of the engine. The possibility of a terrorist attack or missile strike are currently ruled out.”

But by 10am local time, that page was no longer accessible from the embassy’s site, with no additional information given about the details of the crash.

Later, a new statement appeared at the same web address saying that it was for an official commission to determine the cause of the accident.