Iranian officials issued a new report blaming communication errors and a misaligned missile battery for the January strike down of a Ukrainian jet that killed 176 passengers.
The report, released Saturday by Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization, detailed the moments that led to the shooting down of Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 and how it could have been avoided, according to the Associated Press.
The report said the missile battery that targeted the plane had been relocated but wasn’t properly aligned. Those in charge of the missile battery weren’t able to communicate with their command center, misidentifying the jet as a threat, and opened fire twice on the plane without officials’ approval.
“If each had not arisen, the aircraft would not have been targeted,” the report said.
The strikes occurred around the same time that Iran launched a ballistic missile attack on an Iraqi military base housing U.S. troops in response to the American drone strike that killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani in early January.
Among those killed on the flight included 11 Ukrainians and 57 Canadians, prompting Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to demand an investigation into the event.
The report placed blame entirely on the crew of the missile battery, which differs from Iran’s initial response denying any responsibility for the crash.
Six people involved in the incident have been arrested already, with three being released on bail.
