Update: More suspicious details have surfaced over the past few hours as investigators take the first hard look at the circumstances that caused a Boeing 737 to plunge out of the sky minutes after takeoff.

Bloomberg reports that foreign investigations into what happened will undoubtedly be hindered by the regime, particularly amid rising tensions with Washington. Meanwhile, more evidence as emerged to suggest that the jet was a victim of a misfiring of Iran's missile defense system.

As theories multiplied, the Ukrainian embassy in Tehran amended an earlier statement on its website, in which it ruled out terrorism. Instead, it offered 'no comment' on possible causes.

Ukrainian embassy in Iran originally said that the crash was likely caused by an engine problem. It also ruled out terrorism and rocket attack as possible causes.



However, it later removed that information from its website and said the cause of the crash was being determined. — NBC News (@NBCNews) January 8, 2020

"An investigation will be conducted with the involvement of the aviation authorities of Ukraine, Iran, representatives of the Boeing manufacturer, the airline, and the National Bureau of Air Accidents Investigation of Ukraine," Ukraine International Airlines said in a statement. — NBC News (@NBCNews) January 8, 2020

The crash brought to mind the 2014 downing of a Malaysia Airlines jet by a surface-to-air missile while flying over Crimea, which was eventually blamed on Russian-backed rebels.

Iran’s Disaster Mitigation and Management Organization said early assessments indicated the cause was a technical issue.

The plane came down at 6:18 a.m. Wednesday in Sabashahr, near the Iranian capital of Tehran.

Under established protocols, Iran would lead any investigation because the crash occurred on its soil. Ukraine Prime Minister Oleksiy Honcharuk said his government has informed Iran that its experts should take part, though early reports suggest that Tehran is moving to block Kiev from seeing the full truth.

The coverup is so obvious it's almost embarrassing.

* * *

Iran will reportedly refuse to hand over black box data from the Boeing 737 that crashed over Tehran last night to Boeing, stoking speculation that the aircraft was shot down by an Iranian missile.

Video of wreckage from the crash, which shows shattered bodies and debris spread over a wide area, has surfaced on social media.

سوگواری خانواده های جانباختگان سقوط هواپیما

گروه چند رسانه ای ایران

🔸 https://t.co/n1ZUp5V19q pic.twitter.com/umpn0ui58e — روزنامه ایران (@IranNewspaper) January 8, 2020

As we reported overnight, the 737 800, which is very different from the 737 MAX and has an excellent safety track record, crashed over Tehran just minutes after takeoff, killing all 176 people onboard.

Ukraine International Airlines said in a statement that the plane that crashed was in excellent condition, adding that it was "one of the best planes" in UIA's fleet, and had undergone necessary maintenance just days before the crash, RT reports.

The Boeing 737-800, which was delivered to UIA in 2016, was "in excellent condition" before its last flight from Tehran to Kiev, Evgeny Dykhne, the company’s president, told reporters in Kiev, also describing the aircraft as "one of the best." The flight, bound for the Ukrainian capital of Kiev, plunged from the sky just minutes after departing Imam Khomeini International Airport, according to Iran's state-run IRNA news agency.

"I heard a massive explosion and all the houses started to shake. There was fire everywhere," Din Mohammad Qassemi, an Iranian who lives near the crash site, told the AP. "At first I thought (the Americans) have hit here with missiles and went in the basement as a shelter," Qassemi added. "After a while, I went out and saw a plane has crashed over there. Body parts were lying around everywhere."

Overnight, the rumor mill pointed to mechanical errors, which caused Boeing's shares, already under pressure from the 737 MAX fallout, to slide.

The crash happened shortly after the plane departed Tehran's airport Wednesday morning

UIA flight director Ihor Sosnovsky even ruled out pilot error as a potential cause of the crash, explaining that the ill-fated flight was manned by a "reinforced crew," including Captain Volodymyr Yaponenko, Pilot Instructor Oleksiy Naumkin and First Officer Serhiy Khomenko.

All of this makes Iran's rumored decision not to fork over the black box data more suspicious. Was the plane accidentally struck by an Iranian missile? The timing sure seems suspicious, given that the plane crashed over Iran during the same timeframe that the country was lobbing missiles at American bases in Iraq.

All 176 passengers and crew on board the plane died in the crash, officials said. (AP)

To us, if the plane just happened to crash over Iran just as the country was firing off missiles, well, that certainly would be one hell of a coincidence, wouldn't it?

As one analyst claimed, there was "absolutely no way" the crash was due to mechanical difficulties, offering an explanation that sounds fairly convincing.

There is absolutely no way that the Ukrainian plane crash in Iran is due to mechanical difficulties.



Which mechanical failures immediately drop all ADS-B transmissions on a new plane in a conflict zone? None.



Data looks similar to MH17. pic.twitter.com/cp7e0XQxVG — kraigernetes (@craig_tracey) January 8, 2020

So how does a trader exploit this? The most obvious play would be to take a look at Boeing shares. If it's confirmed the manufacturer and airline aren't to blame for the crash, we imagine Boeing shares will rebound.

Most of the passengers on board were making connecting flights via Kiev’s Boryspil airport, the main hub for UIA. Among the dead were citizens of Iran, Canada, Germany, the UK, Sweden and Afghanistan.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky directed the government to launch an inquiry and to "consider all possible versions [of the crash]."

Boeing has launched an investigation into the crash, while Iran has launched a criminal investigation - or what might be more accurately described as a hunt for a scapegoat.

In other news, a complete list of passengers has been released by the airline:

Surname, Name, Year of Birth

Abaspourqadi Mohamm 1986

Abbasnezhad Mojtaba 1993

Abtahiforoushani Seyedmehran 1982

Aghabali Iman 1991

Agha Miri Maryam 1973

Ahmadi Motahereh 2011

Ahmadi Muh Sen 2014

Ahmadi Rahmtin 2010

Ahmadi Sekinhe 1989

Ahmady Mitra 1973

Amirliravi Mahsa 1989

Arasteh Fareed 1987

Arbabbahrami Arshia 2000

Arsalani Evin 1990

Asadilari Mohammadhossein 1996

Asadilari Zeynab 1998

Ashrafi Habibabadi Amir 1991

Attar Mahmood 1950

Azadian Roja 1977

Azhdari Ghanimat 1983

Badiei Ardestani Mehraban 2001

Bashiri Samira 1990

Beiruti Mohammad Amin 1990

Borghei Negar 1989

Choupannejad Shekoufeh 1963

Dadashnejad Delaram 1993

Daneshmand Mojgan 1976

Dhirani Asgar 1945

Djavadi Asll Hamidreza 1967

Djavadi Asll Kian 2002

Ebnoddin Hamidi Ardalan 1971

Ebnoddin Hamidi Kamyar 2004

Ebrahim Niloufar 1985

Ebrahimi Khoei Behnaz 1974

Eghbali Bazoft Shahrokh 1960

Eghbali Bazoft Shahzad 2011

Eghbalian Parisa 1977

Elyasi Mohammad Mahdi 1991

Emami Sayedmahdi 1959

Emami Sophie 2014

Eshaghian Dorcheh Mehdi 1995

Esmaeilion Reera 2010

Esnaashary Esfahani Mansour 1990

Faghihi Sharieh 1961

Falsafi Faezeh 1973

Falsafi Faraz 1988

Farzaneh Aida 1986

Feghahati Shakiba 1980

Foroutan Marzieh 1982

Ghaderpanah Iman 1985

Ghaderpanah Parinaz 1986

Ghafouri Azar Siavash 1984

Ghandchi Daniel 2011

Ghandchi Dorsa 2003

Ghasemi Ariani Milad 1987

Ghasemi Dastjerdi Fatemeh 1994

Ghasemi Amirhossein 1987

Ghasemi Kiana 2000

Ghavi Mandieh 1999

Ghavi Masoumeh 1989

Gholami Farideh 1981

Ghorbani Bahabadi A 1998

Golbabapour Suzan 1970

Gorji Pouneh 1994

Haghjoo Saharnaz 1982

Hajesfandiari Bahareh 1978

Hajiaghavand Sadaf 1992

Hajighassemi Mandieh 1981

Hamzeei Sara 1986

Hasani/sadi Zahra 1994

Hashemi Shanrzad 1974

Hassannezhad Parsa 2003

Hatefi Mostaghim Sahan 1987

Hayatdavoudi Hadis 1992

Jadidi Elsa 2011

Jadidi Pedran 1991

Jamshidi Shadi 1988

Jebelli Mohammaddam 1990

Kadkhoda Zaden Mohammaddam 1979

Kadkhodazaden Kasha 1990

Karamimoghadam Bahareh 1986

Katebi Rahimen 1999

Kaveh Azaden 1979

Kazerani Fatemeh 1987

Khadem Forough 1981

Kobiuk Olga 1958

Lindberg Emil 2012

Lindberg Erik 2010

Lindberg Raheleh 1982

Lindberg Mikael 1979

Madani Firouzeh 1965

Maghsoudlouestarabadi Siavash 1976

Maghsoudlouesterabadi Paria 2004

Mahmoodi Fatemeh 1989

Malakhova Olena 1981

Malek Maryam 1979

Maleki Dizaje Fereshteh 1972

Mamani Sara 1983

Mianji Mohammadjavad 1992

Moeini Mohammad 1984

Moghaddam Rosstin 2010

Mohammadi Mehdi 1999

Molani Hiva 1981

Molani Kurdia 2018

Moradi Amir 1998

Morattab Arvin 1984

Moshrefrazavimoghaddam Soheila 1964

Mousavi Daria 2005

Mousavi Dorina 2010

Mousavibafrooei Pedram 1972

Nabiyi Elnaz 1989

Naderi Farzahen 1981

Naghibi Zahra 1975

Naghib Lahouti Mehr 1987

Nahavandi Milad 1985

Niazi Arnica 2011

Niazi Arsan 2008

Niknam Farhad 1975

Norouzi Alireza 2008

Nourian Ghazal 1993

Oladi Alma 1992

Omidbakhsh Roja 1996

Ovaysi Amir Hossein 1978

Ovaysi Asal 2013

Pasavand Fatemeh 2002

Pey Alireza 1972

Pourghaderi Ayeshe 1983

Pourjam Mansour 1966

Pourshabanoshibi Naser 1966

Pourzarabi Arash 1993

Raana Shahab 1983

Rahimi Jiwan 2016

Rahimi Razgar 1981

Rahmanifar Nasim 1994

Razzaghi Khamsi Ni 1974

Rezai Mahdi 2000

Rezae Hossain 1999

Saadat Saba 1998

Saadat Sara 1996

Saadat Zeinolabedin 1990

Saati Kasra 1972

Sadeghi Alvand 1990

Sadeghi Anisa 2009

Sadeghi Mirmohammad 1976

Sadeghi Sahand 1980

Sadighi Neda 1969

Sadr Niloufar 1958

Sadr Seyednoojan 2008

Saeedinia Amirhosse 1994

Safarpoorkoloor Pe 1999

Saket Mohammadhosse 1986

Salahi Moh 1988

Saleheh Mohammad 1987

Saraeian Sajedeh 1993

Setareh Kokab Hamid 1988

Shadkhoo Sheyda 1978

Shaterpour Khiaban 1988

Soltani Paniz 1991

Tahmasebi Khademasa 1984

Tajik Mahdi 1999

Tajik Shahram 1998

Tarbhai Afifa 1964

Tarbha Alina 1988

Toghian Darya 1997

Zarei Arad 2002

Zibaie Maya 2004

Zokaei Sam 1977