PM Trudeau says Iranian missile likely shot down the plane ‘unintentionally’, killing 63 Canadians
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told the nation that evidence indicates an Iranian missile downed a Ukrainian jetliner late Tuesday and that the strike “may have been unintentional.”
“We have intelligence from multiple sources including our allies and our own intelligence,” which indicates that “the plane was shot down by an Iranian surface to air missile. This may well have been unintentional,” he said.
Addressing the media in Ottawa, Trudeau forewarned that the findings remained preliminary, saying the situation demands a full investigation in partnership with Iran.
“The families of the victims and all Canadians want answers. I want answers. That means closure, accountability and justice. We will not rest until we get that.”
Meanwhile, Iranian authorities have denied suggestions that its own missile system accidentally brought down the passenger aircraft.
Commenting on the strained Iran-Canada relations and how it might affect the investigation, he said Canadian consular officials were on their way to Ankara, Turkey, where they would be provided visas by the Iranian authorities.
Earlier, U.S. officials said it was “highly likely” that an Iranian anti-aircraft missile downed the jetliner. They also suggested it could well have been a mistake. The theory is based on the analysis of data from satellites, radar and electronic data. U.S. President Donald Trump also said he suspected the crash was not due to mechanical issues, adding that “somebody could have made a mistake on the other side.”
The Ukrainian Airlines Boeing 737-800 flight crashed minutes after taking off from Tehran to Kyiv. All 176 passengers and crew on board were killed, including 63 Canadians.
