Here's what might have happened to the Ukrainian airliner that crashed in Tehran

CBS News recreates an airline tragedy
(Image credit: Screenshot/YouTube/CBS News)

U.S. and allied Western intelligence services say they have persuasive evidence from satellites and intercepted communications that Iran shot down a Ukrainian International Airline flight Wednesday morning, likely by mistake, killing all 176 people onboard. Iran denies any responsibility. The airliner crashed just minutes after taking off from Tehran's airport en route to Kyiv and hours after Iran fired missiles toward U.S. forces in Iraq in retaliation for America's targeted killing of Iran's top general, Qassem Soleimani.

Using video from Tehran and information from intelligence officials, U.S. new media have plausibly pieced together what happened to Ukrainian International Airline Flight 752. The plane's 167 passengers and nine crew "most likely faced horrifying final moments, starting with an explosion as the missiles detonated just outside it, sending shrapnel and debris spiraling through the fuselage," The New York Times reports. "The plane turned back toward the airport, then began its uncontrolled descent toward the ground." CBS Evening News visually recreated the incident.

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.