More: Canada offered access in air crash probe:
Ukrainian pledge to help Canada get access key as diplomatic relations with Iran were broken in 2012
OTTAWA — Ukraine will help Canada participate in the Iranian-led investigation of Wednesday’s plane crash near Tehran that killed dozens of people from their countries, says the Ukrainian envoy in Ottawa.
“The investigation on the ground is conducted by Iran, and Ukraine will of course contribute,” said Andriy Shevchenko, Ukraine’s ambassador to Canada, said. “We’re ready to do everything we can to help the investigation. We hope that the Canadian offer of contribution into the investigation will be recognized and appreciated.”
The Ukraine International
Airlines Boeing 737-800, bound for Kyiv, crashed shortly after taking off from the Iranian capital, killing all 176 people on board. Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Vadym Prystaiko said the plane was carrying 63 Canadians, 82 Iranians, 11 Ukrainian passengers and crew, 10 Swedes, four Afghans, three Germans and three Britons.
The Ukrainian offer is significant because Canada broke diplomatic relations with Iran in 2012, shuttering its Tehran embassy and expelling its diplomats. The government cited Iran’s support of terrorism and concerns for the safety of its diplomats. Canada has also been a vocal critic of Iran’s human-rights record, including at the United Nations.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canada will work with its international partners to investigate the cause of the plane crash thoroughly. Transport Minister Marc Garneau said on Twitter that Canada would offer technical assistance in the crash investigation.
“Our minister of foreign affairs had a phone conversation with the Iranian minister of foreign affairs, so we have established contact on this. We also have our Ukrainian Embassy on the ground in Tehran,” said Shevchenko.
“It is heartbreaking. We have been such close friends with Canada and share so many good things. Now we will have to walk through this pain together.”
The Transportation Safety Board said it appointed an expert to monitor the progress of the Iranian investigation. “The TSB remains available to provide any technical assistance requested by Iranian and Ukrainian accident investigation bodies,” it added.
Ukraine has determined that a “substantial portion” of the 63 Canadians had booked onward tickets on a flight to Toronto and were not stopping in Kyiv, said Shevchenko. Others aboard were likely bound for Canada, but are not citizens.
Ukraine officials are also working closely with the Iranians to identify all the victims and repatriate their remains, Shevchenko added. The Ukraine government has dispatched two planes to Iran to help with that grim task.
The Conservative defence critic says he doesn’t want the Iranian government to block access to investigators from Canada or any other countries affected.
“I would encourage the Iranian regime to co-operate with the international investigation, and in particular allow Canada, Ukraine and the other nations who lost citizens on that flight to be involved in that investigation, regardless of the regional tensions right now and the politics surrounding the recent attacks,” Conservative MP James Bezan said in an interview.
Foreign Affairs Minister François-Philippe Champagne and Garneau are reaching out to their international counterparts, Trudeau said.
Champagne described the situation as “extremely fluid.”