TORONTO (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 11th January, 2020) Canadian Foreign Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said that the number of Canadian casualties in the deadly plane crash near Tehran had been revised from 63 to 57.
"The number of Canadian victims now stands at 57," Champagne said on late Friday, clarifying that the correction is due to the "fluid" nature of the situation, referencing the number of dual nationals and permanent residents that may have been misidentified.
Champagne confirmed that the number of passengers on route to Canada still stands at 138.
The foreign minister also announced that on Friday, Iran issued two visas to the Canadian consular team - comprised of 12 Global Affairs Canada and Transportation Safety board personnel - stationed in Ankara. The rest he hopes will be issued soon.�
According to Champagne, two Canadian investigators will be given access to Iran, one more than international law requires.
Canada's top diplomat also addressed media speculation that Iran is compromising the investigation scene, saying that his understanding is that debris moved from the site is being relocated to a hangar for reconstruction.
Ukrainian International Airlines Flight 752 crashed shortly after takeoff from Tehran Imam Khomeini International Airport in the early Wednesday hours, claiming the lives of 167 passengers - mostly Canadian and Iranian citizens - and nine Ukrainian crew members.
US and Canadian authorities have claimed the Ukrainian jet was downed by an Iranian missile strike. Meanwhile, Iran in a preliminary report said, the accident was the result of a technical malfunction.
On Thursday, US and Canadian transportation agencies accepted Iran's invitation to join the probe into the causes of the crash.�
