High-Level Officials behind Ukraine Airliner Crash in Iran

Debris of a plane belonging to Ukraine International Airlines, that crashed after taking off from Iran's Imam Khomeini airport, is seen on the outskirts of Tehran, Iran January 8, 2020. (West Asia News Agency via Reuters)
Debris of a plane belonging to Ukraine International Airlines, that crashed after taking off from Iran's Imam Khomeini airport, is seen on the outskirts of Tehran, Iran January 8, 2020. (West Asia News Agency via Reuters)
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High-Level Officials behind Ukraine Airliner Crash in Iran

Debris of a plane belonging to Ukraine International Airlines, that crashed after taking off from Iran's Imam Khomeini airport, is seen on the outskirts of Tehran, Iran January 8, 2020. (West Asia News Agency via Reuters)
Debris of a plane belonging to Ukraine International Airlines, that crashed after taking off from Iran's Imam Khomeini airport, is seen on the outskirts of Tehran, Iran January 8, 2020. (West Asia News Agency via Reuters)

High-level Iranian officials were responsible for the 2020 downing of a Ukrainian jetliner by Revolutionary Guards and the crash was not an accident caused by a missile system operator, families of victims said in a report on Wednesday.

The report by an association representing 140 of the victims of Flight PS752 challenges Iran's official findings that blamed a misaligned radar and an error by the air defense operator for the downing of the plane shortly after it took off from Tehran's Airport. All 176 people aboard were killed.

Tehran said the operator mistook the jet for a missile at a time when tensions were high between Iran and the United States.

The report runs more than 200 pages and was prepared by the association's fact-finding committee with assistance from aviation and legal experts. It is not an official air crash accident report, which is designed not to focus on liability but to see how safety can be improved in the future.

"It is the belief of the association that high-ranking officials of Iran are responsible for the downing of Flight PS752 and not just a handful of low ranking...members as per the claims of the government of Iran," the association report said.

The report underscored the ongoing dispute over Iran's official findings, which have been criticized by Ukraine and Canada as Tehran had responsibility for investigating the circumstances and causes of the crash.

Many of the victims killed in the crash were Canadian citizens or permanent residents.

A Canadian investigation into the crash reported in June that it found no evidence Iran's downing of the jet was premeditated, but condemned what it called the incompetence and recklessness of those responsible.

Canada's Foreign Affairs department is analyzing the victim association's latest report, a government spokeswoman said.

The report said the missile system operator had vast experience and expertise with short-range missile systems, including service in Syria, and should have been able to distinguish the jetliner from a cruise missile.

The association, composed of mostly Canadian families of crash victims, said the report used public information and recordings of "high-ranking Iranian officials" among its sources.



Second Flight Leaves Beirut to Take Brazilians Home

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (C) welcomes citizens fleeing the conflict between Israel and Lebanon on arrival from Beirut on the first rescue flight of the Brazilian government, at Sao Paulo Air Base in Guarulhos, Sao Paulo state, Brazil on October 6, 2024. (AFP)
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (C) welcomes citizens fleeing the conflict between Israel and Lebanon on arrival from Beirut on the first rescue flight of the Brazilian government, at Sao Paulo Air Base in Guarulhos, Sao Paulo state, Brazil on October 6, 2024. (AFP)
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Second Flight Leaves Beirut to Take Brazilians Home

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (C) welcomes citizens fleeing the conflict between Israel and Lebanon on arrival from Beirut on the first rescue flight of the Brazilian government, at Sao Paulo Air Base in Guarulhos, Sao Paulo state, Brazil on October 6, 2024. (AFP)
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (C) welcomes citizens fleeing the conflict between Israel and Lebanon on arrival from Beirut on the first rescue flight of the Brazilian government, at Sao Paulo Air Base in Guarulhos, Sao Paulo state, Brazil on October 6, 2024. (AFP)

The second repatriation flight organized by the Brazilian government to assist its nationals left Beirut on Monday, according to a statement from the Brazilian air force.

The plane carrying 227 Brazilians, including 49 children, will stop for fuel in Lisbon before heading to Sao Paulo’s Guarulhos airport, where it is due to arrive Tuesday.

The plane took Lebanon medical and hospital supplies donated by Brazil, Brazil’s foreign ministry said Monday, adding that more will follow in future flights.

The first repatriation flight landed in Sao Paulo on Sunday. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was on site to greet those fleeing the violence.

About 21,000 Brazilians live in Lebanon, which is home to the largest community of Brazilians in the Middle East. Two Brazilian adolescents have been killed by Israeli bombardments in Lebanon.

In a separate statement, Brazil's foreign ministry called “for the immediate release of all hostages and for negotiations that lead to a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon.”