Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752
Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 (PS752) was a scheduled international passenger flight from Tehran Imam Khomeini International Airport to Boryspil International Airport, Kyiv, Ukraine. On 8 January 2020, the Boeing 737-800 aircraft flying the route was shot down shortly after takeoff from Tehran, killing all 176 passengers and crew on board.
The crash occurred amid heightened tensions between Iran and the United States following the assassination of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani by a U.S. drone strike on 3 January 2020. Iran had fired missiles at two U.S. military bases in Iraq in retaliation for Soleimani’s death, and there were fears that Iran might retaliate further against the United States.
The Iranian government initially denied that it had shot down the plane, but on 11 January 2020, it acknowledged that the plane had been shot down by two Iranian surface-to-air missiles by mistake. The missiles were fired by the Iranian air defense forces, who were on high alert after the missile strikes on the U.S. military bases in Iraq. The air defense forces mistook the Ukrainian airliner for a U.S. military aircraft.
The crash of Flight 752 was a tragedy that claimed the lives of 176 innocent people. It was a reminder of the dangers of military conflict and the importance of peace. The families of the victims deserve justice, and the Iranian government must be held accountable for its actions.
Here are some additional details about the crash:
- The plane was a Boeing 737-800 aircraft, registration UR-PSR. It was three and a half years old when it was shot down.
- The plane was carrying 167 passengers and 9 crew members. All of them were killed.
- The plane was shot down just six minutes after takeoff from Tehran Imam Khomeini International Airport.
- The plane was shot down by two Iranian surface-to-air missiles, a Tor-M1 and a Pantsir-S1.
- The Iranian government initially denied that it had shot down the plane, but on 11 January 2020, it acknowledged that it had done so by mistake.
- The Iranian government has apologized for the crash and has offered compensation to the families of the victims. However, the families have rejected the compensation and are demanding justice.
The crash of Flight 752 is still a subject of investigation. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is leading the investigation, with assistance from Ukraine, Canada, and other countries. The investigation is expected to take several years to complete.
The crash of Flight 752 has had a profound impact on the families of the victims, the Ukrainian community, and the international community. It is a reminder of the dangers of military conflict and the importance of peace.
References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukraine_International_Airlines_Flight_752
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-51032823
https://www.theguardian.com/world/ukraine-international-airlines-flight-752
image source: By LLBG Spotter – https://www.flickr.com/photos/newfz28user/48995895126/, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=85717212