Iran Air Flight 655 was an
Iran Air civilian passenger flight from
Tehran to
Dubai that was shot down by the
United States Navy guided missile cruiser USS Vincennes on 3 July 1988. The attack took place in Iranian airspace, over Iran's territorial waters in the Persian Gulf, and on the flight's usual flight path. The aircraft, an
Airbus A300 B2-203, was destroyed by
SM-2MR surface-to-air missiles fired from the
Vincennes.
All 290 on board, including 66 children and 16 crew, died.
[1] This attack ranks ninth among the
deadliest disasters in aviation history, the incident retains the highest death toll of any aviation incident in the Persian Gulf and the highest death toll of any incident involving an Airbus aircraft anywhere in the world.
[2] The
Vincennes had entered Iranian territorial waters after one of its helicopters drew warning fire from Iranian speedboats operating within Iranian territorial limits
In 1996, the United States and Iran reached "an agreement in full and final settlement of all disputes, differences, claims, counterclaims" relating to the incident at the
International Court of Justice.
[7] As part of the settlement, the United States agreed to pay US$61.8 million, an average of $213,103.45 per passenger, in compensation to the families of the Iranian victims.
However, the United States has never admitted responsibility, nor apologized to Iran.
[8]