Iran allowing Canada ‘more active role’ in investigation than usually permitted
OTTAWA – After admitting its military shot a passenger jet out of the sky killing everyone on board, Iran is giving Canada an active role in the crash investigation.
Kathy Fox, chair of the Transportation Safety Board, said two Canadian investigators arrived in Tehran on Monday and Iranian authorities were opening the door for broader participation than international law demands.
“There have been early signs that Iran is allowing the TSB to play a more active role than is usually permitted.”
Ukraine International Airlines flight 752 took off from Tehran’s airport last Wednesday and was only minutes into the flight when it was hit by an Iranian air defence missile. All 176 people on board were killed including 57 Canadians.
For days following the crash, Iranian authorities called the missile theory technically unsound and blamed a mechanical issue, but in a stunning admission Saturday, they admitted they had accidentally shot down the plane.
Air crash investigations are governed by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), which sets out who can participate in an investigation and how much access they receive.
The home country of the airline or the plane’s manufacturer typically get more access than countries, like in this case Canada, who had nationals on board.
Fox said Iran is allowing Canada more access to the investigation that it would normally be permitted under those rules. That includes the opportunity to view and examine the wreckage and the opportunity to take part in the examination of the data from the voice and data recorders, the aircraft’s black boxes.
Under ICAO rules, Canada would only legally have the right to visit the crash site and receive a final report.
Two more TSB investigators are on standby to travel to wherever the black box data is downloaded, which could happen outside Iran because of the technical complexity.
She said it remains to be seen if the cooperation will continue, but they believe everyone wants a full understanding of the tragedy.
“We are working very hard to build trust,” she said. “We all want answers and sharing information is a cornerstone of trust. The world deserves to know how and why events unfolded as they did.”
She said if they don’t get the information they want from Iranian authorities they will make that clear.
“We will continue to advocate for a full explanation of what happened and why and we will speak up if we feel those answers aren’t coming,” she said.
In Canada, TSB investigators examine not just the technical factors around a crash, but broader circumstances like pilot training or fatigue.
Natacha Van Themsche, the TSB’s director of air investigations, said they want to look at some of those broader issues in the investigation.
“We do know what has happened. What we don’t know is why,” she said.
“Why was the airspace not closed considering the tensions in the region.”
Fox pointed to a Dutch safety investigation of the crash of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, which was also hit by an air defence missile killing all on board in July 2014.
The Dutch safety investigators recommended more be done to ensure that airspace is better protected for civilians in times of conflict.
Fox said regardless of how the investigation proceeds the answers won’t come fast.