Rescue workers search the scene where a Ukrainian plane crashed in Shahedshahr, Iran, on Jan. 8, 2020.Ebrahim Noroozi/The Associated Press
Transport Minister Marc Garneau says Canada is eager for Iran to follow through on a new pledge to send the black boxes from the downed Ukraine Airlines jetliner to France.
After more than two months of refusing to give up the recorders, Farhad Parvaresh, Iran’s delegate to the International Civil Aviation Organization, told the ICAO on March 11 that the flight data and cockpit voice recorders would be sent to Ukraine’s aviation investigators within 14 days.
If Ukraine wasn’t able to download the material they would then be given to France’s Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety, which is one of the best in the world at investigating plane crashes.
More than 90 days later the boxes remain in Iran, and Mr. Parvaresh tells The Canadian Press Iran is now going to bypass Ukraine and send them directly to France as soon as all the parties that want to be there when they are downloaded can travel.
Mr. Garneau says Canada believes this is “perfectly acceptable” and should be done as quickly possible.
Flight PS 752 was shot down by the Iranian military shortly after takeoff from Tehran’s airport on Jan. 8, killing all 176 passengers and crew on board, including more than 50 Canadians.
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