On Wednesday morning, a devastating fatal plane crash in Iran claimed the lives of 176 people. The Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) plane took off early in the morning on January 8 and crashed around 6:18 a.m., shortly after takeoff. Among the total number of Iran plane crash victims, 63 of them were Canadian -- 12 of those victims were from B.C., reports the Vancouver Sun. One of the B.C. residents killed in the crash has been identified as Delaram Dadashnejad. The Vancouver Sun has stated that Dadashnejad’s B.C. student ID card was found in the wreckage. She was reportedly an English language student at Langara College in Vancouver. Dr. Firouzeh Madani and Dr. Naser Pourshabanoshibi from North Vancouver were also on the flight to Kyiv. Other victims include engineer Mohammad Saket and dental hygienist Fatemah Kazerani; Coquitlam family of three: Ardalan Ebnoddin Hamidi, Kamyar Ebnoddin Hamidi, and Niloofar Razzaghi, and brother and sister students Zeynab and Mohammad Asadi Lari. Following the news, B.C. Liberal Leader Andrew Wilkinson released a statement saying he was "deeply saddened by the news” and was offering his condolences to the victims' families. "Our hearts and condolences go out to the loved ones of the 176 people, including the 63 Canadians who tragically lost their lives in yesterday’s plane crash in Iran,” said Wilkinson in a tweet. Also among the Canadian victims were at least 27 Edmontonians. The group of Albertans that lost their lives includes a doctor, a medical student, newlyweds, children, as well as a number of victims under the age of 20. We are monitoring the situation closely in the Middle East and are in close contact with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration— Transport Canada (@Transport_gc) January 8, 2020 The UIA flight PS752 was en route to Kyiv, Ukraine from Tehran, Iran. Global News has stated that the plane was delayed for about an hour before taking off. Shortly after the early morning take off, the plane made it about 2,400 metres before crashing into farmland on the outskirts of Tehran. The aircraft's data then disappeared from flight radar, CNN reports. As of now, the cause of the plane crash is unknown. CNN has stated that the President of UIA made it clear in a conference that the Tehran airport is complicated and pilots are required to have several years of training to fly with the company. In response to the crash, Air Canada is altering flight plans in the Middle East. As officials continue to identify the cause of the crash, politicians are responding with heartfelt condolences to the victims' loved ones. There are no words.176 lives lost.63 Canadians won’t be coming home.These families deserve clear answers, but whatever the cause, this is devastating.Love to their families, friends, and communities and to everyone touched by this tragedy. https://t.co/jPSouzcFNZ— Jagmeet Singh (@theJagmeetSingh) January 8, 2020 Prime minister Justin Trudeau released the following statement on Wednesday: "On behalf of the Government of Canada, Sophie and I offer our deepest condolences to those who have lost family, friends, and loved ones in this tragedy. Our government will continue to work closely with its international partners to ensure that this crash is thoroughly investigated, and that Canadians’ questions are answered." In addition to Canadians, 82 Iranians, 11 Ukrainians, 10 Swedes, four Afghans, three Germans and three British nationals were also killed, reports CNN. There are stories everywhere. If you spot a newsworthy event in your city, send us a message, photo, or video @NarcityCanada on Twitter and Instagram.
