An Ontario court on December 31 awarded $ 107 million, plus interest, to six families who lost loved ones in the destruction of Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 in 2020.
The plane was shot down almost two years ago, on January 8, 2020, killing all 176 people on board, including 55 citizens and 30 Canadian permanent residents. Of the passengers, 138 were on their way to Canada.
Justice Edward Belobaba of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice ruled in May 2021 that the destruction of the plane was an intentional act of terrorism. The Iranian foreign ministry later claimed that the judgment was unfounded.
In his decision, Judge Belobaba awarded $ 100 million in punitive damages to be divided among the estates of the six victims; $ 1 million for loss of counseling, care and companionship; and $ 6 million for pain and suffering, Radio-Canada reported.
The attack took place amid escalating tensions between Iran and the United States following the Trump administration’s assassination of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani less than a week earlier on January 3. In the hours leading up to the tragedy, Iran had fired missiles near US bases in Iraq, as a show of force, and its air defense was on high alert.