Ontario’s top court has upheld a ruling holding Ukraine International Airlines fully liable to compensate the families of victims who died in the downing of Flight PS752. The passenger jet was shot down by two Iranian missiles on January 8, 2020, just minutes after departing Tehran, killing all 176 people on board.
The tragedy struck deeply in Canada, with 55 Canadian citizens, 30 permanent residents, and many others with ties to the country among the victims.
An Ontario court ruled last year that the airline was negligent for failing to properly assess the risks of flying out of Tehran at the time. That finding meant the airline could not limit the amount of compensation owed to the families.
In a decision released today, the Court of Appeal for Ontario dismissed the airline’s challenge to the ruling.
Lawyer Joe Fiorante, representing several families, called the decision “an important result,” saying it delivers “a small measure of justice” to those who lost loved ones in one of the most devastating aviation tragedies in recent memory.