Reuters - The black box of a Ukrainian passenger plane shot down accidentally in Iran last month is significantly damaged, Iran’s defence minister said on Wednesday, according to state media.

The box “has sustained noticeable damage and it has been requested of the defence industry to help in reconstructing (it),” Amir Hatami said.

“The reconstruction of the black box is supposed to take place first and then the reading.”

Reporting By Babak Dehghanpisheh; editing by John Stonestreet