Six BC residents are among 176 people who died in a Ukrainian International Airlines plane crash in Iran on Wednesday.
According to CBC News, the victims have been identified as Langara College student Delaram Dadashnejad; family of three Ardalan Ebnoddin Hamidi his wife, Niloofar Razzaghi, and their teenage son, Kamyar Ebnoddin Hamidi; and North Vancouver couple Hossein (Daniel) Saket and Fatemeh (Faye) Kazerani.
The Ukrainian Airlines Boeing 737-800 plane bound for Kyiv, Ukraine crashed just minutes after departing from Tehran Imam Khomeini International Airport in Iran on the morning of Wednesday January 8th.
All 176 people on board died as a result of the crash, including 82 Iranians, 63 Canadians, 11 Ukrainians, and others from Sweden, Afghanistan, Germany, and the UK.
Canadian Foreign Minister François-Philippe Champagne has issued a statement saying he has been in touch with his Ukrainian counterpart and will speak to all relevant international authorities regarding the investigation into the cause of the crash.
“The situation remains very fluid,” Champagne writes. “We will continue to keep Canadians informed as the situation evolves.”
Investigators are working to determine the cause of the crash, which took place on the same day that Iran fired over a dozen missiles at air bases in Iraq that housed US forces, in retaliation for the killing of General Qasem Soleimani.
There is no evidence to suggest that the two incidents are related.
According to a statement from Ukraine International Airlines, the investigation will be conducted by the aviation authorities from Ukraine and Iran, representatives from Boeing, the airline itself, and the National Bureau of Air Accidents Investigation of Ukraine.
Ukraine International Airlines confirms air accident in Iran
We express our deepest condolences to the families of the victims of the air crash and will do everything possible to support the relatives of the victims.
Find more info here: https://t.co/gP3Ow4yWAq— FlyUIA (@fly_uia) January 8, 2020
“This evening our plane with officials of expert and search and rescue teams departs to Iran,” said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a statement. “Our priority is to establish the truth and those responsible for this terrible catastrophe.”
Information from aviation website Flight Radar 24 states that the PS752 aircraft was operated by a Boeing 737-800, not to be confused with the 737 Max model which has been grounded since last March after two deadly plane crashes.
The Boeing Company has issued a tweet expressing their “heartfelt thoughts” in light of the tragic event and stated that they stand by their customer, Ukraine International Airlines.
This is a tragic event and our heartfelt thoughts are with the crew, passengers, and their families. We are in contact with our airline customer and stand by them in this difficult time. We are ready to assist in any way needed. pic.twitter.com/TsTlyY34Vd
— The Boeing Company (@Boeing) January 8, 2020
Iranian media source ISNA has reported that the crash was a result of engine failure.
Several news outlets including the BBC have stated that the ‘black box’ from the aircraft has been located, and the head of Iran’s civil aviation organization has declined to hand it over to either Boeing or US authorities.
