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Iran Air Flight 655

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Summary:
Date: July 3, 1988
Type: Ciilian airliner !hoot"do#n
$ite: %er!ian &ulf
Fatalitie!: '9(
o %a!!en)er!: '*+
o Cre#: 1+
o $urior!: (
,ircraft type: ,ir-u! ,3((.'"'(3
/perator: 0ran ,ir
0ran ,ir Fli)ht 1++ 2031++4 #a! a commercial fli)ht operated -y 0ran ,ir that fle# from .andar ,--a!,
0ran to Du-ai5 /n $unday July 3, 1988, the aircraft flyin) 031++ #a! !hot do#n -y the u5$5 6ay )uided
mi!!ile crui!er 7$$ 8incenne! -et#een .andar ,--a! and Du-ai, killin) all '9( pa!!en)er! and cre#
a-oard, includin) 38 non"0ranlan! and 11 children5 The 8incenne! #a! 0n!ide 0ranian territorial #ater! at
the time of the !hoot"do#n5 ,ccordin) to the 75$5 )oemment, the 0ranian aircraft #a! mi!takenly
identified a! an attackin) military fi)hter5 The 0ranian )oernment, ho#eer, maintain! that the
8incenne! kno#in)ly !hot do#n a ciilian aircraft5
The Incident:
The 7$$ 8incenne! !hot do#n an 0ran ,ir pa!!en)er aircraft
!imilar to thi! 0ran ,ir ,ir-u!, killin) all '9( pa!!en)er! 0ncludin)
11 children and cre# on -oard5
The plane, an ,ir-u! ,3((.', re)i!tered a! 9%"0.7 and flo#n -y captain ,5,loh!en 3e:aian, left .andar
,--a! at 1(:1* am 0ran time 2;JTC<(33(4, '* minute! after it! !cheduled departure time of9:+( am5 0t
#ould hae -een a '8"minute fli)ht5 ,fter takeoff, it #a! directed -y the .andar ,--a! to#er to turn on
it! tran!ponder and proceed oer the %er!ian &ulf5 The fli)ht #a! a!!i)ned routinely to commercial air
corridor ,m-er +9, a t#enty"mile"#ide lane on a direct line to Du-ai airport5 The !hort di!tance made for
a !imple Fli)ht pattern: clim- to 1=,((( feet 2a-out =3(( m4, crui!e for a !hort time, and de!cend into
Du-ai5
,t that !ame time, the 8incenne!, under the command of Captain William C. 3o)er! 000 and fitted #ith
the then"ne# ,9&0$ com-at !y!tem, #a! near-y in the $trait of >ormu:5 The 8incenne! had -een
ru!hed to the area after the ,pril 1= minin) of the 7$$ $amuel .5 3o-ert! -y 0ranian force!5 0ran had
purcha!ed $ilk#orm mi!!ile! from China, and an ,9&0$ crui!er #a! the only type of e!!el that could
counter the threat5 The 3o-ert! had -een operatin) in the %er!ian &ulf a! part of /peration 9arne!t Will,
the effort to protect ?u#aiti oil tanker! durin) the 0ran"0ra@ War5
/n the mornin) of July 3, the 8incenne! cro!!ed into 0ranian territorial #ater! durin) cla!he! #ith 0ranian
)un-oat!5 9arlier in the day, the 8incenne! " alon) #ith 0ranian )un-oat! " had !imilarly iolated /mani
#ater! until challen)ed -y an /mani #ar!hip5 The 7$$ $ide! 2FF&"1=4 and 7$$ 9lmer Aont)omery 2FF"
1(8'4 #ere near-y5
The eent tri))ered an inten!e controer!y, #ith 0ran condemnin) the !hoot do#n a! a B-ar-aric actB5
/n the other hand, &eor)e >5W5 .u!h, at the time 8ice %re!ident of the 7nited $tate! in the 3ea)an
,dmini!tration, defended hi! country at the 7nited 6ation! -y declarin) that the !hoot do#n had -een a
#artime incident and that the cre# of the 8incenne! had acted appropriately to the !ituation at the time5
>e refu!ed to apolo)i:e for the !hoot do#n on -ehalf of the 7nited $tate!5
U.S. government accounts:
,ccordin) to 75$5 )oernment account!, the 8incenne! mi!takenly identified the 0ranian aircraft a! an
attackin) military fi)hter5 The officer! identified the fli)ht profile -ein) flo#n -y the ,ir-u! ,3((.' a!
-ein) !imilar to that of an F"1=, Tomcat durin) an attack runC1DE the commercial Fli)ht had ori)inated at
.andar ,--a!, #hich !ered dual role! a! a -a!e for 0ranian F"1= operation! and a! a hu- for
commercial, ciilian fli)ht!5 ,ccordin) to the !ame report!, the 8incenne! tried more than once to
contact 3i)ht 1++, -ut there #a! no ackno#led)ement5
,t 1(:'= am, #ith the ciilian Fet 11 nautical mile! a#ay, the 8incenne! fired t#o $A"'A3 $urface"to"air
mi!!ile!5 The fir!t mi!!ile -roke the aircraft in t#o and dama)ed the tailplane and ri)ht #in)5 ,fter the
en)a)ement, the 8incenne!G cre# reali:ed that the plane had -een a ciilian airliner5
Thi! er!ion #a! finali:ed in a report -y ,dmiral William Fo)arty, entitled Formal 0ne!ti)ation into the
Circum!tance! $urroundin) the Do#nin) of 0ran ,ir Fli)ht 1++ on 3 July 19885 /nly part! of thi! report
hae -een relea!ed 2part 0 in 1988 and part 2C in 19934, #hich ha! dra#n critici!m from many o-!erer!5
The uncla!!ified er!ion of a Con)re!!ional report of a 75$5 6ay ine!ti)ation headed -y ,dmiral William
Fo)arty did not accurately !ho# the location of the 7$$ 8incenne! !ome ' 6A 2= km4 in!ide 0ranian
territorial #ater!5
When @ue!tioned -y ..C Fournali!t! in a '((' documentary, the 75$5 )oernment !tated in a #ritten
an!#er that they -elieed the 0ncident may hae -een cau!ed -y a !imultaneou! p!ycholo)ical condition
amon)!t the 18 -rid)e cre# of the 8incenne! called G!cenario fulfillmentG #hich i! !aid to occur #hen
per!on! are under pre!!ure5 0n !uch a !ituation, the men #ill carry out a trainin) !cenario, -eliein) it to
-e reality #hil!t i)norin) !en!ory information that contradict! the !cenario " in the ca!e of thi! incident,
the !cenario #a! an attack -y a lone military aircraft5 Thi! hypothe!i!, if true, could eHplain #hy the
record! of the 8incenne!G in!trument! neer indicated a craft re!em-lin) an F"1= -ein) detected, #hil!t a
ciilian 0FF !i)nal #a! detected5
Iranian government account:
The 0ranian )oernment -elieed at the time, and ha! repeatedly claimed !ince, that the 8incenne!
kno#in)ly !hot do#n a ciilian aircraft5 ,t the time of the incident, the 7$ 6ay #a! carryin) out
/peration %rayin) Aanti! a)ain!t 0ran " directly attackin) 0ranian 6aal e!!el! and in!tallation! and
0ranian off"!hore oil facilitie!5 0n effect, 0ran and the 7$, #ere in outri)ht military conflict5 0ran thu!
re)arded the 7$, a! -ein) an open military ally of $addam >u!!einG! 0ra@ and feared that the 7$ #ould
eHpand it! naal #ar #ith 0ran into attack! on 0ranG! !oil5 The 0ranian )oernment -elieed at the time of
the incident that the attack #a! intended a! a #arnin) to 0ran that if it did not a)ree to !ome form of
armi!tice #ith 0ra@, the 7$, #ould it!elf directly attack the 0ranian mainland and 0ranian ciilian! in order
to a!!i!t 0ra@5
Independent sources:
6e#!#eek reporter! John .arry and 3o)er Charle! #rote that 3o)er! acted reckle!!ly and #ithout due
care5 Their report accu!ed the 75$5 )oernment of a coer"up5 An analy!i! of the eent! -y the
0nternational $trate)ic $tudie! ,!!ociation de!cri-ed the deployment of an ,e)i! crui!er in the :one a!
irre!pon!i-le and felt that the eHpen!e of the !hip had played a maFor part in the !ettin) of a lo#
thre!hold for openin) fire5 The 8incenne! had -een nicknamed G3o-o"crui!erG, -oth in reference to it!
,9&0$ !y!tem, and to the !uppo!ed a))re!!ie tendencie! of it! captain5 The 7$ fi)hter -a!e in .ahrain
had refu!ed to proide !upportin) aircraft to coer the 8incenne! " the commander of the -a!e !tated
that hi! deci!ion #a! -a!ed on a fear that the 8incenne! #ould accidentally !hoot do#n one of hi!
aircraft5
/n 6oem-er 1, '((3 the 0nternational Court of Ju!tice concluded that the 75$5 6ayG! action! in the
%er!ian &ulf at the time had -een unla#ful5 Three year! after the incident, ,dmiral William J5 Cro#e
admitted on ,merican telei!ion !ho# 6i)htline that the 8incenne! #a! in!ide 0ranian territorial #ater!
#hen it launched the mi!!ile!5 Thi! contradicted earlier 6ay claim!5
Captain Daid Carl!on, commander of the 7$$ $ide!, the #ar!hip !tationed near to the 8incenne! at the
time of the incident, i! reported to hae !aid that the de!truction of the aircraft Bmarked the horrifyin)
climaH to Captain 3o)er!G a))re!!iene!!, fir!t !een four #eek! a)oB5 >i! comment referred to incident!
on June ', #hen 3o)er! had !ailed the 8incenne! too clo!e to an 0ranian fri)ate undertakin) a la#ful
!earch of a -ulk carrier, launched a helicopter #ithin '"3 mile! 235'"=58 km4 of an 0ranian !mall craft
de!pite rule! of en)a)ement re@uirin) a four"mile 215= km4 !eparation, and opened fire on a num-er of
!mall 0ranian military -oat!5 /f tho!e incident!, Carl!on commented, BWhy do you #ant an ,e)i! crui!er
out there !hootin) up -oat!I 0t #a!nGt a !mart thin) to do5B ,t the time of 3o)er!G announcement to
hi)her command that he #a! )oin) to !hoot do#n the plane, Carl!on i! reported to hae -een
thunder!truck: B0 !aid to folk! around me, GWhy, #hat the hell i! he doin)IG 0 #ent throu)h the drill
a)ain5 >eG! clim-in)5 .y no# thi! damn thin) i! at *,((( feet5B >o#eer, Carl!on thou)ht the
8incenne! mi)ht hae more information, and #a! una#are that 3o)er! had -een #ron)ly informed that
the plane #a! diin)5 ,ccordin) to the ..C documentary of '((', Carl!on identified 031++ a! a ciilian
craft -a!ed on it! radar !i)nature, it! G!@ua#kG 20FF4 code, and the fact that it #a! a!cendin) at lo# !peed
" an attackin) military aircraft #ould be de!cendin) to#ard! the 8incenne! at hi)h !peed5 ,t fir!t Carl!on
thou)ht that the G0ranian TomcatG identified -y the 8incenne! #a! actually another craft that he could not
identify, a! it #a! !urpri!in) to Carl!on that the 8incenne! cre# #ould mi!take a Tomcat 2#ith #hich one
#ould eHpect the 7$ 6ay to -e familiar4 #ith a ciilian aircraft5 The 8incenne!G #arnin)! #ere on a
military channel, addre!!ed to G0ranian TomcatG5 When Carl!on concluded that the 8incenne! #a!
referrin) to 031++ 0n it! #arnin) to turn a#ay or receie fire, he ur)ently #arned 031++ on a ciilian
fre@uency that it #a! in dan)er, hain) -een mi!taken for a military craft and !hould turn a#ay5 031++
immediately complied and chan)ed cour!e onto a traFectory a#ay from the 8incenne!5 The 8incenne!
fired re)ardle!!5 Carl!on eHpre!!ed the ie# that the incident #a! a mi!take -rou)ht a-out -y an oerly
a))re!!ie approach -y the captain of the 8incenne!5
Crai), Aorale! & /lier, in a !lide pre!entation pu-li!hed in A505T5G! $prin) '((= ,eronautic! &
,!tronautic!, a! the B7$$ 8incenne! 0ncident,B commented that Captain 3o)er! had Ban undenia-le and
une@uiocal tendency to#ard! #hat 0 call Gpickin) a fi)ht5GB /n hi! o#n initiatie, 3o)er! moed the
8incenne! +( mile! northea!t to Foin the 7$$ Aont)omery5 ,n an)ry Captain Ac?enna ordered 3o)er!
-ack to ,-u Au!a, -ut the 8incenne! helicopter pilot, Lt Aark C/llier, follo#! the 0ranian !peed-oat! a!
they retreat north, eentually takin) !ome fire,
B 555the 8incenne! Fump! -ack into the fray5 >eadin) to#ard! the maFority of the
!peed-oat!, he i! una-le to )et a clear tar)et5 ,l!o, the !peed-oat! are no# Fu!t !lo#ly
millin) a-out in their o#n territorial #ater!5 De!pite clear information to the contrary,
3o)er! inform! command that the )un-oat! are )atherin) !peed and !ho#in) ho!tile intent
and )ain! approal to fire upon them at (9395 Finally, in another fateful deci!ton, he
cro!!e! the 1'"mile limit off the coa!t and enter! 0lle)ally into 0ranian #ater!5B
The Fo)arty report concluded, BThe data from 7$$ 8incenne! tape!, information from 7$$ $ide!
and relia-le intelli)ence lnformatlon, corro-orate the fact that C0ran ,ir Fli)ht 1++D #a! on a normal
commercial air fli)ht plan profile, in the a!!i)ned air#ay, !@ua#kin) Aode 000 1*1(, on a continuou!
a!cent in altitude from takeoff at .andar ,--a! to !hoot"do#n5B The fault in the 7$$ 8incenne! lyin)
directly in the airplaneG! path#ay i! Captain 3o)er!G5
Radjo freyencjes:
Throu)hout it! final fli)ht 031++ #a! in radio contact #ith ariou! air traffic control !erice! u!in)
!tandard ciil aiation fre@uencie!, and had !poken in 9n)li!h to .andar ,--a! ,pproach Control !econd!
-efore the 8incenne! launched it! mi!!ile!5 The 8incenne! at that time had no e@uipment !uita-le for
monitorin) ciil aiation fre@uencie!, other than the lnternational ,ir Di!tre!! fre@uency5 $u-!e@uently
75$5 6ay #ar!hip! in the area #ere e@uipped #ith diala-le 8>F radio!, and acce!! to fli)ht plan
information #a! !ou)ht, to -etter track commercial airliner!5
The official 0C,/ report !tated that 1( attempt! #ere made to contact 0ran ,ir fli)ht 1++: !een on
military fre@uencie! and three on commercial fre@uencie!, addre!!ed to the !uppo!ed Bunidentified
0ranian aircraftB and )iin) it! !peed a! 3+( knot!5 >o#eer 031++ #a! ar)ua-ly not BunidentifiedB a! it!
commercial G!@ua#kG code #a! actie and it #a! traellin) at an air!peed of 3(( knot!5 The reference to
B3+( knot!B #a! it! !peed oer )round, a! o-!ered -y radar5 031+$G! fli)ht in!trument! #ould hae
recorded the air!peed5 0ntematlonallne!ti)ation! concluded that the cre# of 031++ a!!umed that the
three call! that they receied -efore the mi!!ile! !truck mu!t hae -een directed at an 0ranian %3 2!ee
-elo#45
!otential factors:
The !hipG! cre# did not efficiently con!ult commercial airliner !chedule!, due to confu!ion oer
#hich time :one the !chedule! referred to5 The airlinerG! departure #a! 3( minute! later than
!cheduled5 GGThe ac #a! al!o ery dark, and the fe# li)ht! that it did hae flickered eery time
the 8incenne! fired at the !peed-oat!5 Thi! #a! of !pecial concern to %etty /fficer ,ndre#
,nder!on, #ho fir!t picked up Fli)ht 1++ on radar and thou)ht that it mi)ht -e a commercial
aircraft5 ,! he #a! !earchin) in the 6ayG! li!tin) of commercial fli)ht!, he apparently mi!!ed
Fli)ht 1++ -ecau!e it #a! !o dark5B
,n 0ranian %"3 #a! 0n the area !ome time -efore the attack, proidin) a potential 2al-eit unlikely4
eHplanation for the lack of tar)et ac@ui!ition radar interro)ation5
0t #a! fir!t claimed that Fli)ht 1++ deiated from the centre of it! air corridor " an unu!ual
occurrence #ith commercial fli)ht! " namely that it #a! 353+ 6A off the '( 6A"#ide corridor at
the time of -ein) !hot do#n5 0t i! further claimed that thi! deiation had it -earin) !trai)ht at
the 8incenne!5 0t i! unclear ho# much of thi! deiation #a! true, and ho# much #a! claimed to
o-!cure the 8incenne!G po!ition #ithin 0ranian territorial #ater!5
0t i! claimed that a Aode 00 0FF !i)nal of '11(( #a! attri-uted to the ,ir-u! track, identifyin) it
a! an 0ranian military aircraft 2commercial aircraft re!pond #ith Aode 000 !i)nal!45 ,ccordin) to
the official military report, the fli)ht #a! in fact u!in) the correct G!@ua#kG mode5 The 8incenne!
either heard it incorrectly or -elieed it to -e a military aircraft u!in) Aode 000 31*1( to deceie
them5 0t ha! !ince -een a!!umed that the trackin) deice u!ed to identify 0FF !@ua#k! #a! left
in the /ri)inal po!ition of Fli)ht 1++ #hen fir!t !i)hted 2at take"off4, confu!in) the Fli)ht 1++
!@ua#k #ith that of an 0ranian F"1= fi)hter #ithin the area5 The .andar ,--a! airport #a!
!hared -et#een commercial and military aircraft at that time5
The cre# of the 8incenne!G Com-at 0nformation Center 2aC4 confu!in)ly reported the plane a!
a!cendin) and de!cendin) at the !ame time 2there #ere t#o Bcamp!B45 Thi! !eem! to hae
happened -ecau!e the ,ir-u!G ori)inal C0e track, num-er ==*=, had -een replaced -y the $ide!G
track, num-er =131, #hen the computer reco)ni:ed them a! one and the !ame5 $hortly
thereafter, track ==*= #a! re"a!!i)ned -y the !y!tem to an ,merican ,"1, !eeral hundred mile!
a#ay, #hich #a! follo#in) a de!cendin) cour!e at the time5 ,pparently not all the cre# in the
C0C reali:ed the track num-er had -een !#itched on them5
Thi! incident took place Fu!t oer a year after the 7$$ $tark #a! attacked in the %er!ian &ulf -y
an 0ra@i Aira)e F"l, killin) 3*5
The p!ycholo)y and mind!et after en)a)in) in a -attle #ith 0ranian )un-oat! mi)ht hae
contri-uted to the mi!take! made5 The actual rea!on for the 8incenne!G en)a)ement #ith
)un-oat! i! not !o clear to thi! date5
$oft#are deelopment eHpert $tee AcConnell claimed: B0ran ,ir Fli)ht 1++ #a! !hot do#n -y
the 7$$ 8incenne!G ,e)i! !y!tem in 1988, killin) '9( people5 The error #a! initially attri-uted to
operator error, -ut later !ome eHpert! attri-uted the incident to the poor de!i)n of the ,e)i!
u!er interface5 B
, lack of trainin) contri-uted to the di!a!ter5 "It #a!, ho#eer, a kno#n fact that many of the
!enior officer! on -oard the 8incenne! kne# ery little a-out computeri:ed #arfare5 The
tactical officer for !urface #arfare, Lt Cmdr &uillory, kne# !o little that he routinely u!ed hi!
computer !creen! a! a !urface for !ticky note! in!tead5 %etty /fficer ,nder!on, #ho mi!!ed
Fli)ht 1++ on the !chedule -ecau!e it #a! !o dark, al!o later claimed that he confu!ed -y the
)ulf! four different time :one!, !omethin) proper trainin) could hae ea!ily helped #ith5 ;t
Clay Jocher #a! the -o!! of ,ir ,lley, #hich #a! re!pon!i-le for air #arfare, -ut he had only
!tood #atch at that po!t t#ice -efore and had neer fully learned and ma!tered the con!ole
routine!5 0n fact, #hen he #a! finally )ien the )reen li)ht to fire upon the incomin) aircraft,
he pre!!ed the
#ron) key! '3 time!, until a eteran petty officer leaned oer and hit the ri)ht one!5
6ere! #ere !hattered, and the trainin) !eemed noneHi!tent5B
"edals a#arded:
The 75$5 )oernment i!!ued note! of re)ret for the lo!! of human life -ut neer admitted
#ron)doin),
accepted re!pon!i-ility, nor apolo)i:ed for the incident5 /fficially, it continue! to -lame 0ranian ho!tile
action! for the incident5 The men of the 8incenne! #ere all a#arded com-at"action ri--on!5 ;u!ti), the
air #arfare coordinator, #on the nayG! Commendation Aedal for Bheroic achieement,B notin) hi!
Ba-ility to maintain hi! poi!e and confidence under fireB that ena-led him to B@uickly and preci!ely
complete the
firin) procedure5B The ;e)ion of Aerit #a! pre!ented to 3o)er! and ;u!ti) on 3 July 1988, accordin) to a
'3 ,pril 199( article in The Wa!hin)ton %o!t5 The citation! did not mention the 0ran ,ir fli)ht5 0t
!hould -e noted that the ;e)ion of Aerit i! often a#arded to hi)h"rankin) officer! upon !ucce!!ful
completion of e!pecially difficult duty a!!i)nment! andKor la!t tour! of duty -efore retirement5
The incident oer!hado#ed 75$5"0ran relation! for many year!5 Follo#in) the eHplo!ion of %an ,m
Fli)ht
1(3 !iH month! later, the .riti!h and ,merican )oernment! initially -lamed the %F;%"&C,a %ale!tinian
militant )roup -acked -y $yria, #ith a!!umption! of a!!i!tance from 0ran in retaliation for 0ran ,ir Fli)ht
1++5 The cau!e of the cra!h #a! later determined to -e a -om- a!!ociated #ith the 7-yan intelli)ence
!erice, thou)h an 0ranian )roup had claimed re!pon!i-ility for it5 The Fli)ht 1++ incident ha! often
-een compared to that of ?orean ,ir Fli)ht ((* interception -y the $oiet ,ir Force in 19835
,t a ne#! conference on ' ,u)u!t 1988, then"8ice %re!ident &eor)e >5 W5 .u!h declared, B0 #ill neer
apolo)i:e for the 7nited $tate! of ,merica " 0 donGt care #hat the fact! areB in reference to the incident5
$om%ensation:
/n Fe-ruary '', 1991 the 7nited $tate! a)reed to pay 0ran 7$L 1158 million in compen!ation 2L3((,(((
per #a)e"earnin) ictim, L1+(,((( per non"#a)e"earner4 for the '=8 0ranian! killed in the !hoot
do#n, -ut not for the aircraft, #hich #a! e!timated to -e #orth approHimately 7$L3( million5 Thi!
#a! an
a)reed !ettlement to di!continue a ca!e -rou)ht -y 0ran in 1989 a)ain!t the u5!5 in the 0nternational
Court of Ju!tice5 The payment of compen!ation #a! eHplicitly characteri:ed -y the 7$ a! -ein) on an
eH
)ratia -a!i!, and the 75$5 denied hain) any re!pon!i-ility or lia-ility for the incident5
The proce!! of compen!ation it!elf proed a maFor cau!e for controer!y, a)ain -y compari!on to
the -om-in) of %an ,m Fli)ht 1(35 The Wa!hin)ton %o!t reported on ,u)u!t 13, '((3 #ith the
headline BDeal 3eached #ith 7-ya on %an ,m .om-in)B:
B;a#yer! repre!entin) the familie! of the ictim! of the %an ,m 1(3 -om-in) !truck a deal
#ith ;i-yan official! la!t year 0nolin) a L1( million payment to each ictimG! family5 ,n
initial L= million #ould -e paid once 7565 !anction! have -een formally lifted5 ,n additional
L= million #ould -e paid once the 7nited !tate! lift! it! !anction!5 The final L' million #ould
-e deliered if ;i-ya i! remoed from the $tate DepartmentG! li!t of !tate! alle)edly
!pon!orin) terrori!m5 00
Theoretically, thi! deal !tated that the family of each adult ictim on -oard %an ,m 1(3 #ould receie 33
time! the e@uialent !um of the family of each ictim on Fli)ht 1++, #hil!t each child or !enior citi:en on
Fli)ht 1(3 #ould receie 11 time! the amount receied -y the familie! of their counterpart! on Fli)ht 1++5

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