Canada To Pay $19,000 To Iran Crash Victim Families - Trudeau

Canada to Pay $19,000 to Iran Crash Victim Families - Trudeau

The government of Canada will provide more than $19,000 to the families of each Canadian victim killed in the crash of a Ukrainian airplane in Iran, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Friday

TORONTO (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 17th January, 2020) The government of Canada will provide more than $19,000 to the families of each Canadian victim killed in the crash of a Ukrainian airplane in Iran, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Friday.

"The government will give for families of victims, who are Canadian residents or permanent residents, $25,000 [$19,132 USD] per victim. We expect Iran to compensate these families," Trudeau said in a briefing.

The government is taking this unprecedented step, Trudeau said, because strict international sanctions placed on Iran make it difficult for the families to receive aid during this difficult time.

The prime minister said any compensation that does come from Iran would go directly to the families and not to reimburse the Canadian government. Trudeau did not provide more details when asked to specify the amount of compensation that Canada expects from Iran nor whether compensation will be awarded on a voluntary basis or will proceed through litigation.

On January 8, a UIA Boeing 737 crashed near Tehran killing all 176 passengers and crew. Iran admitted it unintentionally downed the aircraft having confused it with a hostile cruise missile amid tensions and possible war with the United States. Most of the passengers were Iranians and Canadians flying to Toronto with a stopover in Kiev.