Memorial University student from Iran had seat booked on plane that crashed Wednesday in Tehran

ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — Since the crash of Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 on Wednesday, Bahar Haghighat has been saying prayers before looking at her phone, dreading new details of the crash and tensions between Iran and the U.S.

Haghighat could have been one of the 176 people who died — 63 were Canadian citizens — when the plane crashed shortly after takeoff in Tehran. But she switched her flight after reading poor online reviews, and a general feeling of discomfort over the current situation in the Ukraine, just days before she was scheduled to board.

Haghighat lives in St. John’s and is a PhD candidate in education at Memorial University. She is originally from Iran and it was there, while on holidays in her hometown of Qazvin, that the news of the flight — which crashed while she was sleeping — placed a hush over her family's home.

“My parents and I sat in front of the TV watching the news silently,” she said. “I told my parents that I booked the same flight first because it was cheaper.

“We all got very emotional. My mom said, 'I can’t imagine how their families must feel now. Saying goodbyes to your children at the airport is difficult enough.'”

Passengers' bodies in plastic bags are gathered at the site where the Ukraine International Airlines plane crashed after take-off from Iran's Imam Khomeini airport, on the outskirts of Tehran, Iran January 8, 2020.

Her father held her tight, she said, kissing her several times while expressing sympathy for the families who lost their loved ones in the crash.

Haghighat woke up to several missed calls and messages from her friends and family around the world.

“I was terrified,” she said, adding that her first thought was that Iran had been attacked by the U.S.

She describes the situation since returning to Iran as tense, and says her family and friends are taking care of each other as much as they can while the rest of the world continues on.

“Neither our government, nor anyone in the world, cares what happens to us ordinary people of Iran,” she says.

“The shadow of war that casts on our heads, for almost two decades since the invasion of Iraq, is overwhelming. Since Soleimani’s assassination, I, and many people around me, can’t sleep well. We don’t know what to expect when we get up in the morning.”

A map showing the location of the take-off from Iran's Imam Khomeini airport, on the outskirts of Tehran, Iran, Jan. 8, 2020, and its crash location.

Maj.-Gen. Qassem Soleimani was the commander of the Revolutionary Guards Quds Force, and oversaw Iran’s military operations in the Middle East. He was killed in Iraq last Thursday when his convoy was targeted by a U.S. airstrike.

At a news conference Thursday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canadian, as well as allied intelligence, have evidence that indicates the plane was shot down by Iranian surface-to-air missiles. Whether it was intentional or not is still uncertain, he said.

On Thursday afternoon, The New York Times released footage it says shows the moment the airplane was hit.

"The plane is on fire," a person in the video can be heard saying, before a quick flash brightens the black sky, which darkens a few moments later.

In a media statement, Memorial University president Gary Kachanowski extended his condolences to the friends and families of those who died in the crash.

“A significant number of those onboard the flight were students, faculty, staff and alumni from Canadian universities and colleges,” the statement read. “At this point, to our knowledge, no Memorial community members were on the flight; however, this tragedy most certainly affects us all, and Memorial stands with all post-secondary institutions across the country to mourn this unfathomable, heart-breaking loss.

“Students who need support are encouraged to contact the Student Wellness and Counselling Centre or Internationalization Office, and employees requiring support can avail of the Employee Assistance Program.”

Haghighat says she is unsure about whether she will return to Newfoundland.

“l have mixed feelings,” she says. “I’ve never been afraid of flying, but now I’m anxious. I think, what if the same happens to me? Is it safe to travel now? What is the best decision? How about my life back in Canada? How about my family? And many more questions.”

It’s only early January, but Haghighat says 2020 has already been overwhelming for Iranians.

“Most people are stressed and unclear about their future,” she said.

“All Iranians are shocked and sad, especially those of us who live in Canada, as we identify as Iranian-Canadians.”

Twitter: @andrewLwaterman

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