What we know about the passengers lost in Iran plane crash: 'No one can believe it'
All 176 people on board Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 died when it crashed after takeoff near Tehran, Iran. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said that intelligence sources indicate an Iranian missile downed the plane, though it might have been unintentional. There were 63 Canadian citizens on board and 138 were headed to Canada. Postmedia papers across the country worked together to gather the stories of the victims with ties to Canada.
Naghibi was president of American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, a group of environmental engineers that staged events and brought in speakers from academia and industry across Canada. She also wanted to collaborate with other groups of engineers and became chairperson of the local Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, from which she received an outstanding service award.
Pedram JadidiPedram Jadidi, 28, had deferred his admission to the University of Windsor when his father died in December 2018, but arrived last May to be a PhD student in civil engineering at the university. He was researching vibrations in bridge stay cables, the kind that will be used in the new Gordie Howe International Bridge between Windsor and Detroit.“In one year, they have lost a father and a son,” said Majd Javanbakht, a student who worked alongside Jadidi. “He was a very smart kid.
“Hamid was so interested in technical stuff,” said Amir Ali Ahmadi, a friend and fellow student. “He was always trying to find solutions to problems.” Other Iranian students in Windsor said the couple “created this environment where we all get together” at their home. — Anne Jarvis, Windsor Star After a few years, Mahichi received another call from his old friend. “He calls me and says, ‘Hey Majid, I’m here.’ I was so happy to see my childhood friend here in Vancouver after many, many years.”“No words can describe their personalities, their true spirit, the passion that they had for the work,” their niece Sara Hezarkhani said.
Mahmood Saii, the manager of the North Vancouver building where the family lived, said he had known Pourshabanoshibi since they moved in about five years ago. Fatemah Kazerani and Mohammad Hossein SaketFatemah Kazerani and Mohammad Hossein Saket appeared nothing but grateful and excited about life together after being married in Iran and immigrating to Canada.
Kazerani’s Instagram account also offers a collection of beauty tutorials, proverbs and poetry, and words of encouragement for others seeking a new life in Canada. Throughout the spring and summer last year, she shared reflections on life in Canada, meeting new people and building relationships, and the simple joys of North American fast food.
One co-worker had written: “Dear Daniel, I will miss your bright smile from your office every time I pass by. You greeted us with warmth. I will pray for your family.” — Stephanie Ip, Vancouver Sun Ashtari and her dentist husband were both students of Faghihi at a university in Shiraz, Iran. She called her friend a “perfect” professor and a kind, warm-hearted person.
Zeynab appeared politically engaged: his twitter feed was active as recently as Jan. 5, when he retweeted and commented on the assassination of Qassim Soleimani, head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. “It’s really hard to believe these things happen,” said Amin Haghnegahdar of the Iranian Students Association at Queen’s University. “They were students, it makes it harder for us to believe that someone tried to immigrate, to find a new life, and for these things to happen to them.”
“That tragedy, which has touched so many of our higher education institutions in Canada, has now affected Queen’s directly. We offer our condolences to the student’s family and friends and to all the members of our community mourning loved ones and colleagues.” — Elliot Ferguson, Kingston Whig-Standard
MacLeay remembers Pourjam describing an episode from his required Iranian military service during which soldiers had to stand their rifles against a courtyard wall. “He was the guy who caused them to all fall over,” he said. “That’s who he was.” Arasteh enjoyed country music and photography, his friend Reza Samanfar said, but kept his focus on his PhD. He previously worked in Iran as an agricultural products consultant, but always planned to return to school.
Friends of the 48-year-old former Nortel Networks employee who founded the startup MessageHopper were in tears after learning he was aboard the flight. Nourian was planning to volunteer with the Iranian Student Association when classes resumed this month, Pejam added. There are about 60 members in the group.
“He was very energetic and also extremely intelligent,” Rohani said. “It’s a big loss for his family, but we will also miss him here.” — Jennifer Bieman, London Free Press She was “full of life” and was proud of her homeland, Noel said. “She was enjoying the different environment and culture here in Canada … but was also proud of her Persian heritage. She would share that with me in the form of food quite often. She would make some traditional Persian dishes … and bring me a taste of Iran.” — Jennifer Bieman, London Free Press
She had a strong academic background and her application was processed and accepted by Western, Ray said. Everything was in place for her to begin her studies, but she never got the chance, he said. Falsafi, 46, was known as Fran and was a real estate sales representative in Thornhill, Ont. She earned three degrees in Iran before immigrating to Canada and recently completed the Immigration Consultant program at a Toronto career college.
Ovaysi, 42, was returning to Canada with his wife, Sara Hamzeei, 34, and their six-year-old daughter, Asal. The family lived in Newmarket, Ont. Hamzeei and Asal had travelled to Iran earlier to visit family, including their parents, and Ovaysi told colleagues at the staff Christmas party how excited he was to join them. Lam said Ovaysi loved Canada and Iran. He would speak warmly of his homeland’s culture, food and people, but was also proud to be in Canada and wanted to also revel in Canadian culture as well.
She earned her medical degree in 1996 in Tehran and worked as a family doctor before returning for a four-year residency program. She then worked as an eye surgeon in Iran.She was passionate about eye care and developed expertise in a wide range of eye diseases and laser eye surgery. She was a member of the Iranian Association of Ophthalmology. — Adrian Humphreys, National Post
Golbabapour, who earned two degrees in chemistry in Tehran and worked for years with the Geological Survey of Iran, lived with her husband and stepson in Canada. “I extend my deepest sympathies to the student’s family on behalf of the George Brown community and we will offer any support we are able to provide,” George Brown College president Anne Sado said. — Tyler Dawson, National Post
After additional training she was just one exam away from completing her Canadian Residential Appraiser designation. She was a steward with OPSEU. “I cannot say anything other than how nice they were,” said Hamid Mo, a close friend of the couple and their two-year-old daughter, Kurdia. “I’ve never seen anything bad from them.”
Ghassemi’s son, listed as Arsan Niazi on the passenger manifest, but spelled Arsam elsewhere, was 11 and a student in Grade 6 at Pleasant Public School. Daughter Arnica Niazi, 8, was a Grade 3 student at Finch Public School. Haghjoo and her eight-year-old daughter, Elsa Jadidi, had gone to Iran for the holidays. The father had come back to Canada about a week ago, Radjai said, and had been expecting to meet them at the airport. “Her clients loved her, we are devastated,” she said. “It has been a difficult day and a half.”
Mahsa Amirliravi and Moh SalahiMahsa Amirliravi and Moh Salahi were instructors together at Cestar College of Business, Health and Technology in Toronto.
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