Akram Shojae (second right) is comforted at a vigil in Toronto on Saturday, Jan. 8, 2022 as she mourns her son, Amir Hossein Ovaysi, daughter-in-law Sara Hamzeei and grandchild Asal Ovaysi, who were among the 176 victims of Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 that was shot down in Iran in 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young
TORONTO – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is among those marking three years since the Iranian military shot down Flight PS752 this afternoon alongside grieving relatives in a commemorative ceremony taking place in Toronto.
Families are partaking in rallies from Vancouver to Toronto and St. John’s, N.L., to mark the anniversary of the crash, which killed 176 people including 55 Canadian citizens and 30 permanent residents.
The Ukraine International Airlines jetliner was bound for Canada via Ukraine and shot down shortly after its takeoff from Tehran in January 2020.
The marquee event in north Toronto began with an 11 a.m. reception and art gallery viewing and will be followed by an official ceremony hosted by the Association of Families of Flight PS752 Victims.
Several senior federal cabinet ministers and other dignitaries will attend the private 2 p.m. ceremony, which will include remarks from Trudeau and will be followed by a public candlelight vigil at nearby Mel Lastman Square.
Ahead of the ceremony where he’s slated to speak, Trudeau spoke briefly with some family members of the victims of Flight PS752.
The association, families and other supporters are also taking part in rallies across Canada urging Ottawa to take a tougher stance against Iran.
On Dec. 28, Canada joined peer countries in starting the process to send the Flight PS752 case to the International Court of Justice and attempt to force Iran to compensate victims’ families.
Advocates argue the move should have come sooner and the RCMP should have launched a criminal investigation while Ottawa was negotiating with Tehran.
Trudeau met with grieving family members on Friday and said Ottawa would be relentless in fighting for truth, justice and accountability.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 8, 2023.
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This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Meta and Canadian Press News Fellowship.
