The downing of Iran Air Flight 655 by a U.S. Navy warship killed all 290 aboard and remains one of the deadliest airliner shootdowns in history.
Key Facts
- Date
- 3 July 1988
- Deaths
- 290 people
- Aircraft type
- Airbus A300
- Warship responsible
- USS Vincennes
- U.S. settlement payment
- 61.8 million (ex gratia) USD
- Settlement year
- 1996
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
During the Iran–Iraq War, USS Vincennes entered Iranian territorial waters after its helicopter drew fire from Iranian speedboats. The crew misidentified Iran Air Flight 655, an Airbus A300 transmitting civilian codes, as a hostile Iranian F-14 Tomcat fighter jet. Alleged failed radio contact attempts on both civilian and military frequencies contributed to the decision to engage.
On 3 July 1988, USS Vincennes fired two surface-to-air missiles at Iran Air Flight 655 over the Persian Gulf while the aircraft flew its scheduled Tehran–Dubai route through Iranian territorial airspace shortly after departing Bandar Abbas International Airport. All 290 passengers and crew on board were killed instantly.
The incident drew international condemnation of the United States. President Reagan issued a written expression of deep regret without a formal apology. In 1996, the U.S. agreed to pay $61.8 million to victims' families and provide two replacement aircraft to Iran Air as part of an International Court of Justice settlement, while explicitly not admitting legal liability.