
Families of Flight PS752 victims grieve loved ones who ‘had a story, had a family, had a life’
CTV
In the three years since the downing of Flight PS752 that killed 176 people, most of whom were returning to Canada, families of the victims have shared the endless grief and pain they have endured.
If Rehana Dhirani was having a bad day, she’d call her father, Ali. He’d hear her voice and immediately know something was wrong.
“He would say the right things to lift my spirits, and say the right things to make me feel better and encourage me to see the positive in everything,” she said.
But Dhirani hasn’t been able to hear those words of encouragement since she lost her father three years ago. Ali Asgar Dhirani was 74 years old when he died on Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752, along with 175 others.
The flight, destined for Kyiv, Ukraine, took off on Jan. 8, 2020 from Tehran and was shot down by Iranian missiles. The majority of the flight, 138 people, were Canadian citizens, residents, students or visitors and were heading to Canada via Ukraine.
In the three years since the flight’s downing, families of the victims have shared the endless grief and pain they have endured since their loved ones were killed.
The victims included entire families, children, newlyweds and those returning from holiday.
Dhirani, who lives in Mississauga, Ont., told CTV News Toronto Sunday that the week leading up to the crash anniversary has been difficult.