Vigils held across Canada for victims of the Iran plane crash
Residents in cities across Canada gathered last night to mourn the 176 victims of the Ukraine International Airlines flight PS752 that crashed in Iran on Wednesday morning.
Among those lost were 63 Canadians, many of them from Toronto and Edmonton.
A vigil at Mel Lastman Square in Toronto saw hundreds turn up to honour the memories of victims of the Iran plane crash https://t.co/SMRsK3F4i4 #Toronto #MelLastmanSquare #UkrainianPlaneCrash #IranPlaneCrash pic.twitter.com/iJ6pWmTe3R
— blogTO (@blogTO) January 10, 2020
Candlelight vigils were held from coast-to-coast in towns and cities like Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, Vancouver and Toronto, with family members, friends, and strangers meeting to honour the lives of the dead.
Canada has one of the largest Iranian diasporas in the world, and many on the fatal flight from Tehran, Iran to Kiev, Ukraine were due to connect to Toronto.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was among those paying respects at the vigil on Parliament Hill.
MORE: @JustinTrudeau made rounds through the crowd on Parliament Hill, offering his condolences to those here at the candlelight vigil for victims in the Tehran, Iran plane crash #ottawa #ottnews @ctvottawa pic.twitter.com/jtUOZ8WXYc
— Christina Succi (@CTVChristina) January 9, 2020
Many Canadian universities held services for the students, professors, researchers and family members who were on board the flight.
Today's candlelight vigil for the ones who lost their lives in the #UkrainianPlaneCrash in #Iran in #Montreal, Quebec, #Canada.
— Neg (@NegEA73) January 10, 2020
My condolences to all people who have lost their loved ones in this tragic event.#IranPlaneCrash #Flight752 #candlelightvigil pic.twitter.com/o8bYmHqzCv
Passengers included international PhD students from the University of Windsor, University of Waterloo, University of Guelph, McMaster University, Carleton University, Western University and the University of Toronto.
Also, students from the University of Ottawa, Saint Mary's University, the University of Victoria, York University, Queen's University, McGill University and Dalhousie University, as well as school boards across the country.
Our hearts @UNB are with all individuals and communities affected by this tragedy. If you are on the UNB Fredericton campus, UNB Persia will be holding a candlelight vigil today at 4:00pm in the Alumni lounge. https://t.co/MDXCBI1IAG
— UNB_Stephanie (@UNB_Stephanie) January 10, 2020
The fact that the crash is now suspected to have been caused by Iranian missile fire has added another layer to an already devastating incident.
Passengers ranged in age from 1 to 74, and included 82 Iranian, 11 Ukrainian, 10 Swedish, four Afghan, three German and three British nationals between the 169 passengers and 9 crew.
Fareen Karim
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