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‘We are so shocked’: NC State grad among those killed when Ukrainian plane shot down in Iran

A North Carolina State University graduate was among the more than 170 people killed last Wednesday when Iran said it ‘unintentionally’ shot down a Ukrainian plane near Tehran.

NC State University announced on Friday 33-year-old Bahareh Karami was on the Boeing 737 traveling back to her home in Ontario after visiting her family in Iran, according to our news partner WTVD.

While at the university, Karami volunteered as a research assistant on two water treatment projects and joined the nonprofit North Carolina Section of the American Water Work Association and the North Carolina Member Association of the Water Environment Federation.

After she graduated from NC State, she moved to Ontario and started work as a design technologist with the Regional Municipality of York.

Her funeral will be held in Tehran, but officials from the Regional Municipality of York, where she lived and worked, said they will lower flags at half-mast in her honor.

“We are so shocked and extremely saddened by this tragedy,” York Region Chairman and CEO Wayne Emmerson told local news outlets. “Our prayers are with Bahareh’s family, friends and colleagues, and for everyone that may be impacted in any way by this horrific event.”

Iran state TV, citing military, said it ‘unintentionally’ shot down Ukrainian jetliner because of human error.

Iran had denied for several days that a missile downed the aircraft. But then the U.S. and Canada, citing intelligence, said they believe Iran shot down the aircraft.

The jetliner, operated by Ukrainian International Airlines, went down on the outskirts of Tehran during takeoff just hours after Iran launched a barrage of missiles at U.S. forces.

The crash killed all 176 passengers and crew on board.

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