
TheDowningoftheUkrainianpassengerflight752overtheskiesofTehranonJanuary8,2020shooktheworld.All176passengerswerekilled,amongthemwomen,children,universitystudentsandacademics,manyofthemresidentsorcitizensofCanada.ThetragedyoccurredduringrenewedtensionsbetweenIranandtheUnitedStatesfollowingthekillingofanIraniangeneralinIraq.Iran'sretaliationforthegeneral'skillingwasamissileattackonU.S.militaryinstallationsnearBaghdadonthemorningofJanuary8.Theexchangeheightenedthetensionswithbothsidesbracingformilitaryescalation.Theill-fatedUkrainianpassengerairlinetookofffromtheTehranInternationalairportshortlyafter6amandwithin3minutes,itwasstruckbytwosurface-to-airmissilesfromanearbymilitarybaseoperatedbytheIslamicRevolutionaryGuardCorps.Thedowningwasinitiallyclaimedtobeanaccident,atechnicalfailureofsorts.Astheworldlearnedofthemissileattacks,ittooknomorethanafewhoursafterthemissilesattacksforthesitetobeclearedbybulldozersandallevidencetobedestroyed.Dr.HamedEsmaeilion,adentistinTorontowasleadinganordinaryquietlifewithhiswifeandnine-year-olddaughter.TheywereamongthevictimsaboardflightPS752.ThedentistfromTorontowasthrustintoextraordinarycircumstancesinhisfightforjusticeandtofindthetruthbehindwhattookthelivesofhiswifeanddaughter.