A vigil was held Tuesday night in Kingston, Ont. for the victims of Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752.
Iran has admitted to mistakenly downing the jet, killing all on board.
Five of the victims were members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC).
“It is quite a shock when you hear that the incident, all together with the plane being shot out of the air, was a shock,” says Chris Snooks, president of PSAC Kingston and area council, “and then to hear a bunch of our members that were on there.”
A small group of PSAC members gathered to remember the five members of the union lost.
Four teaching assistants from Western University and a doctor from PSAC Local 555 in Vancouver were remembered.
Included in the vigil was Queen’s University student Amir Moradi.
Each victim’s name was read aloud: Ghazal Nourian, Milad Nahavandi, Sajedeh Saraeian, Hadis Hayatdavoudi, Dr. Razgar Rahimi and Queen’s student Amir Moradi.
“They are part of our union family,” says Snooks, “so we support each other.
“It’s a great loss when we lose a member, especially to a tragedy like this.”
All 176 people on board, including 57 Canadians and more than 80 Iranians, died after the Boeing 737-800 was struck by a missile, shortly after leaving Tehran Imam Khomeini International Airport.
The Public Service Alliance of Canada represents 180,000 members nationally and over 30,000 members in Ontario.
“I think we should keep their memory of them alive, and show the families support,” says Snooks, “and help as much in the community as possible.”