Fact Check: The January 2020 downing of a Ukrainian civilian aircraft by Iran resulted in the deaths of all 176 people on board.

Fact Check: "The January 2020 downing of a Ukrainian civilian aircraft by Iran resulted in the deaths of all 176 people on board."

What We Know

On January 8, 2020, Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752, a Boeing 737-800, was shot down shortly after takeoff from Tehran's Imam Khomeini International Airport by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). All 176 occupants, including 167 passengers and 9 crew members, were killed in the incident (Wikipedia, CBS News). The aircraft was struck by two surface-to-air missiles, which were fired amidst heightened tensions following the U.S. assassination of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani just days prior (Wikipedia, The Guardian). Initially, Iranian authorities denied responsibility, attributing the crash to a technical failure. However, on January 11, 2020, they admitted that the aircraft had been mistakenly identified as a threat and shot down (Wikipedia, BBC).

Analysis

The claim that the downing of the Ukrainian aircraft resulted in the deaths of all 176 people on board is supported by multiple credible sources. The incident has been extensively documented, with investigations confirming that the IRGC fired the missiles that led to the crash (Wikipedia, Human Rights Watch). The Iranian court later sentenced several military personnel for their roles in the incident, reinforcing the acknowledgment of responsibility (BBC, Human Rights Watch).

The reliability of these sources is high, as they include major news organizations and official reports. The initial denial by Iranian authorities was followed by a significant amount of evidence, including video footage and data from the aircraft's flight recorders, which corroborated the timeline of events leading to the crash (Wikipedia, CBS News). Furthermore, the international response, including complaints filed by affected countries, underscores the severity of the incident and the consensus on the loss of life (Al Jazeera, Canada's Response).

Despite some dissenting opinions regarding the Iranian judiciary's handling of the case, the fundamental fact that all 176 individuals on board perished remains uncontested (BBC, Human Rights Watch).

Conclusion

Verdict: True
The claim that the January 2020 downing of a Ukrainian civilian aircraft by Iran resulted in the deaths of all 176 people on board is accurate. The evidence from multiple credible sources confirms that the aircraft was shot down by missiles fired by the IRGC, leading to the immediate loss of all passengers and crew.

Sources

1. Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752
2. Ukraine plane: Iran court jails 10 over downing of flight ...
3. Canada's response to Ukraine International Airlines Flight ...
4. Ukrainian airliner crashes near Tehran, killing all 176 on ...
5. Countries file UN complaint over Boeing 737-800 shot ...
6. Iran Court Issues Sentences in Downing of Ukraine Flight ...
7. "Maybe that's karma": Years after Iran downed Ukrainian ...
8. Brinkmanship, nerves and 176 civilian deaths: the Iran air ...