Victims of Iran plane crash hailed from around the world

They included 82 Iranians, 63 Canadians, 11 Ukrainians, 10 Swedes, four Afghans, three Germans and three British nationals, according to a tweet from Ukrainian Foreign Minister Vadym Prystaiko.

A spokesperson for the airline told a press conference that the plane was last checked on January 6 and there have been no complaints previously in relation to the jet.

Yevhenii Dykhne, president of Ukraine International Airlines, said in a press conference at Kiev airport that most of the dead passengers were in transit to Ukraine to connect to further flights, he said.

A spokesman for the UK's Foreign & Commonwealth Office said: "We are deeply saddened by the loss of life in the plane crash in Iran overnight. We are urgently seeking confirmation about how many British nationals were on board and will do all we can to support any families affected."

Some of the dead were apparently students at the Sharif University of Technology Association in Tehran. Siamak Aram, a board member of SUTA, told CNN: "Yes, unfortunately at least 14 Sharif Alumni died."

A spokesperson for the German Foreign Office said: "The Federal Foreign Office and our Embassy in Tehran are in close contact with the relevant authorities to determine whether there were German citizens aboard the aircraft."

Meanwhile a spokesman for Sweden's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) urged worried relatives to get in touch. He told CNN: "A number of Swedes have lost their lives in the aircraft crash in Iran. We are now working intensively to obtain clarity about the number of Swedes who have died."

The spokesman said it is doing this "onsite in Iran, through our embassy and at the MFA in Stockholm."

He added: "The MFA has decided to activate its crisis management organization until further notice. We urge worried relatives to call the MFA on +46 8 405 92 00. We urge Swedes in Iran to contact their relatives."