More than a third of the 176 people killed in the Boeing 737 crash in Iran were Canadians, who make up one of the largest Iranian diasporas in the world. Sixty-three Canadians died on the Ukraine International Airlines jet that crashed early Wednesday near Tehran, one of the worst aviation disasters ever to affect Canada. Some may have had dual nationality, given the large Iranian population in north Toronto and other parts of the country. There were also 82 Iranians on the flight and 11 Ukrainians, including the nine crew members, among other nationalities, Ukraine’s foreign ministry said.
Of the 167 passengers, 123 were born in 1981 or later, putting them in the category of millennial generation or younger. At least 11 victims were under 10 and the youngest was born in 2018, according to a list of passengers published on Ukraine International’s website.
It’s still unclear what caused Flight 752 to plunge from the sky shortly after taking off for Kyiv, killing all on board. Iranian authorities initially said “technical” causes brought down the Boeing Co. 737-800, then blamed an engine fire. The Ukrainian embassy in Tehran ruled out terrorism but amended its statement to offer no comment on possible causes. Ukraine International said it didn’t “even consider” crew error as a possible factor.
“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,” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in a statement Wednesday. “We also join with the other countries who are mourning the loss of citizens.”
Canada’s 2016 census showed 210,405 people identifying as at least part Iranian. While the largest concentration is in north Toronto, often referred to as Tehran to by the Persian community, the diaspora stretches across the country. A large number of the victims were from Edmonton, Alberta.
“It’s been a very heavy week for us with all the events that have taken place since the start of the new year,” Sara Alimardani, president of the Iranian Women’s Organization of Ontario said in an email. “Many people right now are unsure of what can happen next with Iran and are likely making arrangements to leave the country, if they can.”
Canada suspended diplomatic relations with Iran in 2012 and closed its Tehran embassy. There are no direct flights between Iran and Canada which is likely why the Canadian passengers on the Ukraine International flight were returning home via Kyiv. The airline is also known to offer affordable flights.
A number of passengers on the downed plane booked their travel through Atlas Travel & Holidays Inc., an agency located in the area of Toronto with a large Iranian population. “Everybody is canceling their flights because they are not comfortable to go, especially with a Ukraine airline,” said Ben Mehdizadeh, director of operations for the travel agency. “It is sad of course.”
The Toronto area is home to about 100,000 Iranians, most of whom arrived after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, although the community’s roots go back several generations, according to Javad Moghimi Parsa, an Iranian-trained photographer who documents the community around the world.
In a 2016 article about “Tehran to” he described what it’s like to walk through Richmond Hill, part of the Greater Toronto Area. “You can feel the essence of the Persian community,” he wrote, noting the prevalence of Farsi on signs and spoken on the street.
About 12% of Canada’s post-secondary school population is made up of international students and at least three of the city’s universities have Iranian student associations.
The Iranian community stretches across the country. According to a tweet from Payman Parseyan, the former president of the Iranian Heritage Society of Edmonton, 27 of the victims lived in Edmonton.
The timing of the crash, which coincided with Iranian strikes against U.S. bases in Iraq, sparked speculation the jet could have been downed by Tehran’s own air defense system. Iran’s Disaster Mitigation and Management Organization said early assessments indicate the cause was a technical issue; the transport ministry initially suggested an engine fire was to blame.
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