'Beyond words': U of Manitoba community mourns friends, colleagues lost in Tehran plane crash

Dozens of students and staff gathered atthe University of Manitoba Wednesday to honour the lives lost after a passenger jet crashed in Tehran, killing 176 people including at least six with ties to Winnipeg.

As crowds of students bustled in and out of the school's University Centre, mourners at the vigil stood still. Traditional Iranian music played from a laptop running a slideshow of victims, which sat on a table next to roses, candles and dates.

The loss is "beyond words," said Amir Mansoori, a U of M graduate student in electrical engineering. He lost two friends in the crash Arash Pourzarabi and Pouneh Gorji, both computer science students atUniversity of Alberta.

"I cannot express my real feeling," he said. "I just can tell you I'm sad."

SixWinnipeggershave so far been confirmed dead afterUkraine International Airlines Flight PS752crashed in Iran on Wednesday, around 6:15 a.m. local time.

That includes Mohammad Mahdi Sadeghi who went by Mahdihis wife,Bahareh Hajesfandiari, and their daughter,Anisa Sadeghi. The couple were both civil engineers working at construction companies in Winnipeg.

Pembina Trails School Division said two of its students, ingrades 5 and 6,died in the crash. CBC News has confirmed Anisa, 10, wasthe Grade 5 student.

Also among the176 passengers and crew who died wasForough Khadem, who graduated from the University of Manitoba in 2016with a PhD in immunology. Her friend AzinKhafipour spoke at the vigil Wednesday, her voice shaking as she told the group about Khadem's intelligence and kindness.

"I just remember her laugh," Khafipour said.

Another crash victim was AmirhosseinGhassemi, who waspursuinga master's degree in biomedical engineeringat the Uof M. He was on his way back to Winnipeg after attending a family reunion in Iran.

"I lose a brother," said his friend and fellow master's studentMortezaTavakoli.

"Everywhere that we went, we were together. He was like a familyto me."

TavakolidescribedGhassemias "helpful to everyone he met" and being optimistic toward the situation in their home country.

The two were texting each other just mere moments beforeGhassemiboarded FlightPS752,Tavakolisaid, adding that he warned his friend to be careful.

"I told him, once you're on board, everything will be over. I was referring to worries,"Tavakolisaid,his voice breaking. "But I didn't really know that his life was about to be over."

Two other confirmed victims of the crash Pedram Moosavi BaFrooeiand Mojgan Daneshmand, a married couple wereU of Manitobaalumniwho werelivingin Edmonton.

CBCNews is working on confirming the status of several more individuals from Winnipeg who were also said to have been on the flight.

TheUkrainian passenger jet crashedmoments after leaving Tehran en route to Kyiv, killing everyone aboard.

"I'm still very shaken," said ZahraMoussavi, a biomedical engineering professor at the university.

"When it happens to people that are so close to you especially that they're all youngit is so hard to believe and cope."

At least 63 Canadians were on board, and a total of 138 passengers on the flight were headed to Canada, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Wednesday afternoon.

'It could happen to any of us'

Maryam Bagheri, a friend and neighbour of the Sadeghis andHajesfandiari, said through tears that her daughter goes to the same Persian language classes as 10-year-oldAnisa did.

Hajesfandiari volunteered there, Bagheri said, and Mahdi Sadeghiwas a community leader.

"They were a very happy family," she said, addingshe's also travelled to Iran to visit family.

"It could happen to any of us," said Bagheri. "I thought, 'that it could be my picture on that wall.'"

Mehdi Motevasselin, a civil engineer at the school, was also friends withthe family. He and Mahdi Sadeghi met in Canada,later realizingthey came from the same hometown in Iran and had gone to the same university.

"They were people like many people here," he said. "They wanted to live here. They built their life here recently."

Jay Doering, associate vice-president for partnerships at the U of M, said the university is deeply saddened by the crash, callingit "uncharted waters."

"We're grieving as are many other people associated with this tragedy today," he said. "Let me hope it's a once-in-a-lifetime event."

A support meeting for U of M students and staffwho are dealing with the tragedy will be held Thursday at 1:30 p.m. CT, in Room 477 of the Apotex Centre, which is part of the U of M'sBannatyne Campus.

Vigil remembers victims of the Ukrainian plane crash

5 years ago

Duration 0:46

Dozens of students and staff gathered at the University of Manitoba Wednesday to honour the lives lost after a passenger jet crashed in Tehran.