Sixty-three Canadians killed in Ukrainian plane crash

Sixty-three Canadians were among the 176 people killed in a Ukrainian plane crash just minutes after the plane took off from the Iranian capital's international airport, according to Canada's television network CTV Wednesday.

Quoting Canadian Foreign Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne, CTV reported that the minister has been in touch with the Ukrainian government.

The Ukrainian International Airlines passenger plane, with 176 people on board, crashed near Iran's Imam Khomeini International Airport on Wednesday morning shortly after taking off. All passengers and crew were killed.

Many of the 63 Canadians are believed to be Iranian-Canadian students returning to school after the holidays.