McMaster students mourn those killed in Iran plane crash
Vigil Friday from noon to 2 p.m. in CIBC Hall at McMaster University
Professor Mark Lawford stood next to a memorial for two McMaster students killed in a plane crash and started speaking about the prestigious engineering program they were part of.
Then he stopped.
“All that stuff, at a time like this, it just doesn’t matter,” he said. “It makes you realize what’s important.”
Iman Aghabali, 28, and Mehdi Eshaghian, both PhD students in the faculty of engineering, along with Siavash Maghsoudlou Estarabadi, 43, a former post-doctoral fellow in the faculty of health sciences, died in Ukrainian International Airlines plane crash Tuesday 9:42 p.m. EST — or 6:12 a.m. Wednesday in Tehran.
The Kyiv-bound passenger jet crashed shortly after takeoff from Tehran, killing all 176 on board, 138 of whom had connecting flights to Canada.
On Thursday afternoon, students filtered into the McMaster Automotive Resource Centre, hugging each other in hallways and gathering in side rooms to eat pizza. Many looked grief-stricken and red-eyed.
Upstairs, a small table was set up with a white tablecloth and dates, figs, clementines, flowers and candles sitting on it. Two notebooks with a message saying the books would be given to Aghabali’s and Eshaghian’s families and inviting passersby to write messages, sat in front of three framed photographs, one of Aghabali, one of Eshaghian, and one of the two of them together.
Lawford, a professor in the department of computing and software, worked with both Aghabali and Eshaghian and was set to co24,
supervise Eshaghian in his PhD.
“He was intellectually curious, asking questions all the time,” Lawford said. “He was a fantastic, fantastic student. The type of student that you want to have ... exactly the type of person you want to come to your country to stay.”
He was going to be “highly successful” either in industry or in academia, he said.
Lawford described Eshaghian as super nice, quiet and a gentle guy. He would have turned 25 in a week.
“He had his whole life in front of him,” he said. Aghabali, too, “in the prime of life.”
Both had so much potential.
At the same time as students gathered in groups near the vigil, with some discussing the incident and what could have happened, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau held a news conference in Ottawa.
Trudeau said Canada has intelligence from multiple sources indicating that the plane was shot down by an Iranian “surface-to-air missile.” He added the incident may have been unintentional.
Across Canada, families and loved ones of the victims were mourning their deaths Thursday. Many of those killed were university students returning back to Canada after holidays, young people with families, professionals and those who’d just been married.
Lawford said many of the McMaster students grieving are international students who may not have family in Canada. They will need support, he said, adding his students have been told not to worry about academics.
“The most important thing is to take care of themselves right now. Take the time they need to process this,” he said.
Another memorial for crash victims, organized by the McMaster Iranian Student Association, is scheduled to be held Friday from noon to 2 p.m. in CIBC Hall, located in the third floor of the student centre at McMaster University.
Flags at the university were at halfmast Thursday.
Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger released a statement Thursday, offering condolences to the families, friends and loved ones of the crash victims.
“Our hearts break for Iman, Mehdi and Siavash’s families, friends and loved ones,” he said.
“May you be comforted by the outpouring of love and support surrounding you during this incredibly difficult time. Its impact is felt across our nation and we join together as a community in mourning the loss of the victims of this tragic crash.”
The flag at city hall will be lowered to half-mast until Friday at sunset to honour the victims.
The flags at Burlington City Hall were also lowered Thursday.
In Oakville, a candlelit vigil will be held Sunday, Jan. 12, from 4 to 6 p.m. at Centennial Square. The service is open to the public.