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Bodies of Ukrainian victims of Iran plane crash returned home
The mood at Boryspil International Airport was somber and sad. None of these victims should have died on January 8.
Reneging on a Saturday statement, Iran did not include the two flight black boxes on yesterday's transport flight to Ukraine. There are fears that Iran will tamper with or ruin the flight recorders.
1/19/20
KYIV (Reuters) - The bodies of the 11 Ukrainian citizens who died when a passenger plane was accidentally shot down by Iran this month were brought back to Ukraine on Sunday in a solemn ceremony at Kyiv airport. All 176 on board the Ukraine International Airlines flight from Tehran to Kyiv were killed when the Boeing 737-800 was shot down on Jan. 8, at a time when Iran was on high alert for a U.S. attack. Most of those on board were Iranians or dual nationals. Canada had 57 citizens on board. Nine of the Ukrainian citizens were crew members. “Today at Boryspil Airport the bereaved families and the whole nation have an opportunity to pay their respects to the Ukrainian crew and passengers of #PS752 who are now home,” Foreign Minister Vadym Prystaiko wrote on Twitter. “Deeply grateful for the messages of condolence and solidarity that we have received from around the world.” With President Volodymyr Zelenskiy looking on, coffins draped in the Ukrainian flag were carried one by one from a Ukrainian military plane to waiting hearses at the airport. Soldiers held up flags to represent the different nationalities of those who died. Relatives came to the airport carrying bunches of flowers. Airline staff, some in tears, were waiting on the tarmac. Some knelt down as the coffins passed them.
The mood at Boryspil International Airport was somber and sad. None of these victims should have died on January 8.
Reneging on a Saturday statement, Iran did not include the two flight black boxes on yesterday's transport flight to Ukraine. There are fears that Iran will tamper with or ruin the flight recorders.