Fact Check: "All 176 people on board the Ukrainian civilian aircraft shot down by Iran in January 2020 were killed."
What We Know
On January 8, 2020, Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752, a scheduled international passenger flight from Tehran to Kyiv, was shot down shortly after takeoff by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran. All 176 occupants on board were killed, including 167 passengers and 9 crew members (Wikipedia). The incident occurred amidst heightened tensions between Iran and the United States, following the assassination of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani by a U.S. drone strike just days earlier (Wikipedia).
Iran initially denied responsibility for the incident but later admitted that the aircraft was shot down due to a "human error," as it was mistakenly identified as a hostile threat (NPR). Investigations confirmed that two surface-to-air missiles were fired at the aircraft, leading to its destruction (Wikipedia).
Analysis
The claim that all 176 people on board the aircraft were killed is supported by multiple reliable sources. The initial reports from both Iranian officials and international news outlets confirmed that there were no survivors from the crash (NPR, BBC). The Iranian government later acknowledged the incident as an "unforgivable mistake" and confirmed the death toll (NPR).
Furthermore, the final reports from investigations conducted by various agencies, including the Iranian Civil Aviation Organization, reiterated that all individuals on board were killed, with no survivors found at the crash site (Wikipedia, BBC). The credibility of these sources is high, as they are backed by official investigations and corroborated by international media coverage.
While there were initial denials from Iranian authorities, the subsequent admission of responsibility and the detailed investigations lend significant weight to the accuracy of the claim that all 176 individuals on board were killed.
Conclusion
Verdict: True
The claim that all 176 people on board the Ukrainian civilian aircraft shot down by Iran in January 2020 were killed is accurate. This conclusion is supported by multiple credible sources, including official reports and news articles, which confirm that there were no survivors from the incident.
Sources
- Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 - Wikipedia
- Iran Says It Shot Down Ukrainian Jetliner By Mistake - NPR
- Iran plane crash: Ukrainian jet was 'unintentionally' shot down - BBC
- Ukraine plane: Iran court jails 10 over downing of flight - BBC
- Iran's final report blames air defence operator error for Ukraine plane - Reuters
- Iran blames bad communication, alignment for jet shootdown - AP News
- Iran Says It Unintentionally Shot Down Ukrainian Airliner - The New York Times
- Canada's response to Ukraine International Airlines Flight - Government of Canada
