Iran Air Flight 655 facts for kids
Iran Air Flight 655
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| Shootdown summary | |
|---|---|
| Date | 3 July 1988 |
| Summary | Shot down by USS Vincennes |
| Place | Persian Gulf |
| Passengers | 274 |
| Crew | 16 |
| Fatalities | 290 (all) |
| Survivors | 0 |
| Aircraft type | Airbus A300B2-203 |
| Airline/user | Iran Air |
| Registration | EP-IBU |
| Flew from | Mehrabad International Airport Tehran, Iran |
| Stopover | Bandar Abbas Int'l Airport Bandar Abbas, Iran |
| Flying to | Dubai International Airport Dubai, United Arab Emirates |
Iran Air Flight 655 was a regular passenger flight operated by Iran Air. It was flying from Tehran, Iran, to Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The plane was an Airbus A300 carrying 274 passengers and 16 crew members.
On July 3, 1988, a sad event happened. The plane was shot down by the USS Vincennes, a United States Navy warship. This happened over the Persian Gulf during the Iran–Iraq War. All 290 people on board died.
Contents
What Happened to Flight 655?
The USS Vincennes was in the Persian Gulf during a time of conflict. It was involved in a small battle with Iranian gunboats. While this was happening, Flight 655 took off from Bandar Abbas International Airport. This airport was used by both civilian planes and military aircraft.
A Tragic Mistake: Identifying the Aircraft
The crew of the USS Vincennes made a terrible mistake. They thought the civilian Airbus plane was an Iranian Air Force Grumman F-14 Tomcat fighter jet. They believed this jet was coming to attack their ship.
Warning Signals That Weren't Heard
The USS Vincennes tried to warn the aircraft many times. However, these warnings were sent on a military radio frequency. They were meant for a military F-14 jet that wasn't actually there. The crew of the Airbus passenger plane did not have access to these military radio channels. This meant they could not hear the warnings.
The Attack and Its Sad Outcome
Because the warnings were not heard, the USS Vincennes fired two missiles. Both missiles hit the main body, or fuselage, of the Airbus plane. The plane was destroyed, and all 290 people on board were killed. This included 66 children.
Images for kids
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USS Vincennes had been sent to the Persian Gulf quickly. This was to help with air surveillance.
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This map shows where Iran Air 655 started, where it was going, and where it was shot down.
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This is the combat information center on board the Vincennes.
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This is Captain William C. Rogers III, who was in charge of the USS Vincennes.
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U.S. Secretary of Defense Frank Carlucci and Admiral William Crowe talk to the media.
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Iran released this postage stamp on August 11, 1988, after the event.
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See also
In Spanish: Vuelo 655 de Iran Air para niños
