What we know about the Iran plane crash victims with links to Ottawa

More details are emerging today about the passengers killed when Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 crashed in Iran on Wednesday. Several of the victims lived in Ottawa or had close ties to the city.

The flight, bound for Kyiv,went down just minutes after taking off from Tehran's Imam Khomeini airport, killing all 176 people on board.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said 138 of the passengers were heading to Canada, 57 of whom were Canadian citizens.

A vigil was held on Parliament Hill at 6 p.m. this evening to commemorate those who lost their lives.

Ottawa residents describe shock as friends, colleagues named as victims in Iran crash

5 years ago

Duration 2:01

Kevin Manesh, Saeideh Shabani, Mohsen Zandi and Robert MacLeay describe the impact of hearing that a close friend or colleague Alireza Pey, Fereshteh Maleki Dizaje, Alma Oladi and Mansour Pourjam had been killed in the plane crash in Iran.

The Ukrainian embassy is also inviting the public to sign a book of condolencefrom 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 310 Somerset St. W. in Centretown.

CBC Ottawa has confirmed the identities of eight people with ties to the city who died in the crash. They include university students, a local businessman, a dental worker and a woman who worked as anarchitect in Iran. Here is what we can report so far.

Alma Oladi

Alma Oladi was a PhD student in mathematics at the University of Ottawa.

Students and staff who knew her turned her desk into a makeshift memorial on Wednesday, with white flowers and cards placed next to a photo of Oladi flashingher signature smile.

"She always had this smile on her face," said friend Mohsen Zandimoghadam.

"She was a nice and kind girl. She always wanted to explore places and discover new things in life and new places.She had so many plans for her life in Canada."

CBC/Radio-Canadaspoke with Oladi's mother, who is in Iran right now. Shesaid she is devastated by the loss of her daughter, whowas returning to Canada after visiting family in Iran for the holidays.

Fereshteh Maleki

FereshtehMaleki moved to Canada two or three years ago, according to her friend,SaeidehShabani, who told CBCshe works in real estate and became friends with Maleki after helping her find a home.

Shabanisaid Maleki was looking forward to being able to rest this year after returning from her daughter's wedding in Tehran.

Shabaniteared up thinking about their last conversation.

"She was talking aboutwhat she wanted to do and she told me, 'Maybe 2020 will be the year I can rest more. I have my job, I have my house now, [I can] resettle completely. Maybe it's the timewe can enjoy our life in Canada,'" Shabanirecalled. "But it didn't happen."

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Alireza Pey

Alireza Pey, 48, lived in Ottawa and owned the technology startup Message Hopper.

His friend,KevinManesh, said Peywas in Tehran visiting his sick father.

"He was very hard-working," Manesh said. "We'll all miss his smile."

Pey leaves behind two daughters in Ottawa.

Saeed Kashani

Saeed Kashani was also working toward a PhD at the University of Ottawa.

CBC/Radio-Canada spoke to Alireza Khoshroo, Kashani's cousin, and his father, both of whom arein Iran.

"We areso shocked, and I can't accept this accident," said Khoshroo, who lived with Kashani for many years when they were young boys.

Kashani was both popular and studious, Khoshroo said.

"He has so many friends here," he said.

Khoshroo said Kashani studied extremely hard for many years in order to get into the University of Ottawa.

"Saeed had many goals ... since before he started his education for a PhD at Ottawa university,"he said.

Through a translator, Kashani's father said today was one of the hardest days of his life.

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FareedArasteh

Fareed Arastehwas a PhD student at Carleton studying biology. He returned to Iran over the holidays to marry his long-time girlfriend, Maral.

Arasteh was studying molecular geneticsunder Carleton University professorAshkan Golshani, who described hispupil as the kind of person whoasked deepquestions.

"He was doing a fantastic job. Very nice guy. Very soft-spoken. Such a gentle soul," Golshani said. "Whenever he was given the opportunity, hewould go out of his way to help others."

Mansour Pourjam

Mansour Pourjam, an alumnus of Carleton University's biology program, worked as a technician at an Ottawa denture clinic. He lived in Barrhaven.

Robert MacLeay, the owner of the Ottawa Denture andImplant Centrein a Bells Corners where Pourjam worked, called his death a "tragic personal loss" for everyone at the clinic.

"He was lovable. He was truly someone who made you laugh," MacLeay said.

Pourjam leaves behind a 13-year-old son, MacLeay said.

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Roja Azadian

RojaAzadianwas supposed to travel to Canada for the first time with her husband, MohsenAhmadipour, who has been studying at Algonquin College in Ottawa, but a mix-up over his ticket meant he couldn't get on the plane with her.

"He was thinking, I'm going to send her and then I'm going to be back on the next flight," said Leila Hojabri, a friend ofAzadian's husband.

He had even called a friend in Ottawa,Ahmad Hojabri, to ask him to pickAzadianup at the airport and ensure she was safe. Azadian died aboard Ukraine International Airlines flight PS752 before the couple could be reunited.

"We were waiting for them. They were supposed to live with us in our basement,"Hojabritold CBC.

"Their house was ready. They were ready to start their new life here."

Ahmadipouris now in Iran with his late wife's parents, trying to figure out what to do next, saidHojabri.

Mehraban Badiei

Mehraban Badieiwas an 18-year-old University of Ottawa student who had just finished her first semester. She rented her apartment in Ottawa from family friendReza Matinand his wife.

Matin told CBC he knewBadieifor only four months, but the young woman made an impression.

"She was a very kind soul," he said.

Badiei was in Iran visiting her mother and father for the holidays,Matin said.Her motheris so shocked by her daughter's death she cannot speak, he said.

"Mehraban was the only child in the family," he said. "They're devastated."