Iran backtracks on plan to send flight recorders to Ukraine The Iranian official leading the investigation into the accidental shootdown of a Ukrainian jetliner appeared to backtrack on plans to send the flight recorders abroad for analysisFlowers are laid beside books of condolence before ceremony at Carleton University Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2020 to honor biology PhD student Fareed Arastech and biology alumnus Mansour Pourjam, who died in the crash of Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 in Tehran. Hassan Rezaeifar was quoted by the state-run IRNA news agency as saying “the flight recorders from the Ukrainian Boeing are in Iranian hands and we have no plans to send them out.”He said Iran is working to recover the data and cabin recordings, and that it may send the flight recorders — commonly known as black boxes — to Ukraine or France. Three days later, Iran admitted responsibility after Western leaders said there was strong evidence the plane was hit by a surface-to-air missile. The other five nations have demanded Iran accept full responsibility and pay compensation to the victims’ families. The plane’s engine was designed by CFM International, a joint company between French group Safran and U.S. group GE Aviation.

Source: ABC News January 19, 2020 09:45 UTC