Passengers in the line of fire: When the US accidentally dropped an Iranian plane

The Ukrainian passenger plane shot down by an Iranian anti-aircraft missile has reminded many of a similar air tragedy, in which it was the U.S. Navy ship that dropped an Iranian plane loaded with civilians. The trauma of the "Iran-Iran" flight dropped 32 years ago still resonates, and has since cast a heavy shadow on state relations.

Passengers in the line of fire: When the US accidentally dropped an Iranian plane

Iran claimed that the crash of the Ukrainian airplane in the skies of Iran this week, which resulted in the deaths of 16 passengers on the "Ukranian Airlines" flight, was inadvertent after an anti-aircraft missile was launched at the aircraft and brought it down. The air disaster reminded many Iranians of a similar case in which an Iranian plane was shot down by US forces 30 years On July 3, 1988, Flight No. 655 of Air Iran was dropped, at an event that greatly affected the murky relationship between the two countries.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani mentioned the plane crash in 1988 this week when he said in response to US President Donald Trump's 52 targets to attack Iran that "anyone who talks about number 52 should also talk about number 290 (the number of air disaster fatalities)." Iran's president added on Twitter last week # IR655, as a reminder of the flight number dropped.

Iran takes responsibility: Ukrainian plane shot down for "human error"

Cabinets were placed at the door of Parliament. The funeral of those killed in the air disaster that shocked Iran in 1988 (Photo: AP)

The funeral of those killed in the 1988 Iran Air plane crash (Photo: AP)

The incident in which the Iranian aircraft was shot down occurred during Operation "Mantis" of the US Navy in which clashes between US and Iranian naval forces occurred during the Persian Gulf waters. In those days quite a few exchanges of fire and border incidents occurred between the forces operating in the Gulf. The American ships that patrol the area and escorted tankers sailing through the oil trade lanes periodically suffered from attacks and harassment by Revolutionary Guards. Iranian tactics are similarly continuing these days, along the paths of Hormuz Strait where 20% of global oil passes.

At dawn, on the morning of July 3, the US naval vessel "Vincennes" sent a helicopter that will sail over Iranian patrol boats that were harassing commercial ships. The Iranians opened fire and the US commander ordered the pursuit of the Iranian boats. Only years later did it become known that the Vincennes crossed the border and entered Iran's territorial waters.

The Vincennes team that dropped the Iranian plane, 1988 (Photo: AP)

The US vessel "Vincennes" that dropped the Air Iran flight in 1988 (Photo: AP)

The time the gunfire lasted took off from Airbus 300 from Bandar Abbas Airport with about 290 passengers on a short flight which was destined for Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The captain of the aircraft began to climb to the cruise altitude and handed the aerial inspection "Thank you very much, good day," in what became clear later in his last message.

The crew aboard the Vincennes accidentally identified the civilian aircraft as an Iranian Air Force F-14 that makes its low altitude flight toward them. After 11 attempts to contact the plane, two anti-aircraft missiles were fired from the US Navy ship, which resulted in the crash of the Iranian plane that crashed into Persian Gulf waters without survivors and without a trace in locating the black box on board.

The incident succeeded in shocking Iran in those days, despite the difficult time that enveloped the Islamic Republic in the midst of the war against Iraq and backed the lives of about one million people. 66 of the victims were children and babies, and the authorities placed wooden cabinets in which the victims' bodies were in front of the Iranian parliament in Tehran. Iran has made a huge $ 131 million compensation claim.

Remains of the plane crashed in the skies of Iran this week (Photo: Reuters)

The site of a Ukrainian International plane crashed after taking off from Tehran airport, Iran, January 8, 2020 (Photo: Reuters)

Following the incident, the commander of the Vincennes also received honorable mention by the Navy, which further exacerbated the outrage in Iran. Iran's television stations constantly broadcast the families of the perpetrators throwing flowers into the Persian Gulf waters, where the plane crashed into the barges.

After several days of denials, Iran today acknowledged that the Ukrainian aircraft had been inadvertently shot down by the air defense forces. The Boeing 737-800 plane crashed while on its way from Imam Khomeini International Airport in Tehran to Boryspil Airport in Kiev. The plane had 176 passengers and nine crew members.

Iranian Air Force commander Ali Hajizadeh said that "Iran's Revolutionary Guards are fully responsible for dropping the aircraft." He added that "our air defense system sent a signal to the aircraft, and after ten seconds of no response, it was decided to drop." Hajizada also said that "the operator mistakenly thought the aircraft was a cruise missile."