Iran ‘mistakenly’ shot down Ukrainian plane intelligence says
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and U.S. officials are saying they they have intelligence suggesting that two surface-to-air missiles had targeted the Ukrainian International Airlines Flight 752 that went down in Iran on Wednesday morning, killing all 176 people onboard.
The Ukrainian International Airlines Boeing 737-800 was brought down just after two other missile strikes on airbases housing United States troops.
CBS News quoted US intelligence sources as saying a satellite detected infrared “blips” of two missile launches, followed by another blip of an explosion.
Several sources confirm the plane lost contact at 8,000 feet and also changed course.
BBC reports that “Authorities said they lost radar contact when the plane was at an altitude of about 8,000 ft (2,400m), minutes after taking off at 06:12 local time (02:42 GMT).
“No radio distress call was made by the pilot, the report said.
“The plane, which was initially headed west to leave the airport zone, turned right following a problem and was headed back to the airport at the moment of the crash,” the Iranian aviation authority added.”
video posted on Twitter by @ISNA_farsi
Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau said the Canadian government “will not rest” until it gets justice. Of the 176 people onboard, 63 were Canadian and 135 of the 176 were headed to Canada via a connecting flight in Kyiv.
“We have intelligence, including from our allies and own intelligence that the plane was shot down by Iranian surface-to-air missiles,” Trudeau said. “Canadians want answers. That means transparency, accountability and justice.”
Here is the Prime Minister’s statement made earlier today.
Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Minister, Vadym Prystaiko said there were in total 63 Canadians (we have learned including at least 8 Ontario University students and 1 high school student), 82 Iranians, and 11 Ukrainians (including nine crew members) along with 10 Swedes, seven Afghans, three Britons and three German nationals. Of the 176 people on board 135 were headed to Canada via a connecting flight in Kyiv.
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63 Canadians among 176 killed in passenger plane crash in Iran
