Canada orders $84M award to Iran plane crash victims’ families

People hold signs with images of the victims of the downed Ukraine International Airlines flight PS752, which was shot down near Tehran by Iran's Revolutionary Guard, as family and friends gather to take part in a march to mark the first anniversary, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Jan. 8, 2021. (AFP Photo)

by French Press Agency - AFP

Jan 04, 2022 9:51 am

A Canadian court has awarded more than CA$100 million in compensation to the families of six people who died aboard a Ukrainian passenger jet shot down over Tehran almost two years ago, local media said Monday.

Iran shot down Ukraine International Airlines flight PS752 shortly after take-off from its capital Tehran on Jan. 8, 2020, killing all 176 people aboard, including 85 Canadian citizens and permanent residents.

Three days later, the Iranian armed forces admitted having shot down the Kyiv-bound plane "by mistake."

Ontario Superior Court Judge Edward Belobaba awarded the plaintiffs more than CA$107 million ($84 million), according to several media outlets, including the English-language channel CBC.

In May, the same judge concluded that Iran had committed a "terrorist" act by shooting down the Ukrainian aircraft, paving the way for a claim for compensation from the families of the victims.

Tehran denounced that ruling, saying it had "no basis" and insisting that the Canadian court lacked the authority to render such a decision.

The plaintiffs had asked for CA$1.5 billion in damages.

In a final report in March, the Iranian Civil Aviation Organization (CAO) said its air defense systems were on high alert for a United States counter-attack after Tehran fired missiles at a military base in Iraq that was used by U.S. forces.

The Islamic republic had just attacked a U.S. base in Iraq in response to the killing of General Qassem Soleimani, and were expecting a response from Washington.

Ukraine denounced the report as a "cynical attempt to hide the real causes" of the tragedy, while Ottawa said the report was "incomplete" and lacked "hard evidence."

A group of countries led by Canada said in June that they had filed an action against Iran to seek compensation for the families of the victims.

In December 2020, Iran offered to pay "$150,000 or the equivalent in euros" to each of the victims' families.

That announcement was strongly criticized by Ukrainian and Canadian officials, who said that compensation should not be settled through unilateral declarations.