Families of victims of Flight PS752 mark 6th anniversary of downing of plane in Iran

Dozens of people attended a ceremony in Richmond Hill, Ont., on Thursday to remember victims of Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 six years after the plane was downed in Iran.

On Jan. 8, 2020, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps shot the plane down with two surface-to-air missiles shortly after the aircraft took off in Tehran.

All 176 people on board were killed, including 55 Canadian citizens and 30 permanent residents. The flight was travelling from Tehran to Kyiv. A total of 44 victims lived, worked or studied in Richmond Hill, according to the Ontario government.

Kourosh Doustshenas, spokesperson for the Association of Families of Flight PS752 Victims, said the ceremony was not only about remembering lost loved ones, but also about advocating for justice by telling the truth of what happened. The association organized the ceremony.

"Without truth and justice, we don't have any closure in our lives. The pain is raw, and we're still fighting. Emotionally and physiologically, many of the families are still really struggling," Doustshenas said.

Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand, who spoke at the ceremony, extended "heartfelt and the very deepest" condolences on behalf of the federal government to families of the victims.

"It was an incredible honour and privilege for me before the ceremony began to meet some of the mothers who have suffered for six years after losing their children and their family members," she said.

"And I deeply, deeply commit to all of you that we will continue on the efforts to seek justice, truth, and accountability."

Anand said the grief of the families drives Canadian political leaders to do more to obtain justice and the government is committed to pursuing every legal avenue to hold Iran accountable for the downing of the plane.

Anand said the government is keeping an eye on current protests in Iran and condemns the use of violence and repressive tactics by the Iranian government to suppress dissent. She said the Canadian government will continue to call for human rights to be upheld.

"I recognize that many, many of you have family and friends in Iran. And that they may be impacted, are likely impacted by these ongoing events. Your families are in our thoughts. And I'm personally inspired by the courage and the determination of the protesters to seek tangible change," she said.

Also on Thursday, the Ontario government announced in a news release that it will provide $350,000 to the City of Richmond Hill to help build a memorial for the victims.

Graham McGregor, Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism, said in the release: "Ontario is proud to support this important initiative that honours the victims of Flight PS752 while providing a space for reflection and healing. This memorial is a place to remember the lives lost and to recognize the enduring strength of the families who continue to seek justice and accountability."

The province said the Flight PS752 memorial will be a collaboration between the City of Richmond Hill and provincial and federal governments. Construction is set to begin mid-2026 and is expected to be completed in 2027.