'The loss is too great': Calgarians mourn victims of Iran plane crash

Still shocked, saddened and searching for answers,dozens of Calgarians gathered Friday night to remember those lost ina crash involving aUkrainian passenger plane earlier this week.

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There were tears and hugs as lit candles were placed beside photos of theAlbertanswho were killed when the planecrashed minutes after takeoff fromTehran's airport early Wednesday local time.

The crash killed all 176 people on board, including 57 Canadians.

'We're shocked and numb'

CBC News has confirmed two Calgary-based victims local student Arshia Arbabbahrami and aircraft mechanic Kasra Saati.

Arbabbahramiwas a student at Western Canada High School, located just down the street from the vigil.

He had plans to attend medical school, having moved to Calgary three years ago.

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Yasmin Salehi, one ofArbabbahrami's close friends, said the two met at the high school and quickly became close.

"We went to each other's house, we spent New Year's together, everything together," Salehi said. "It's unbelievable that this has happened. We're shocked and numb. At this point, I don't even have any tears."

Salehi saidArbabbahrami's friends in Canada quickly became important to him, especially considering the fact thathis family remains in Iran.

"We're all immigrants here," she said. "But Canada is our home, and so is Calgary. So we really appreciate everyone coming here tonight."

Being here is to honour his memory.- Parsa Heydarali,Arshia Arbabbahrami's roommate

Parsa Heydarali said he had beenArbabbahrami's roommate for six months.

"I can't believe it. It's too unreal for me. The loss is too great," he said. "I'm feeling, like, empty. We used to hang out all the time, we used to talk, we used to play computer games."

Heydarali saidArbabbahrami was his first friend in Calgary.

"Everything reminds me of him. He reached out to me and helped me get through everything," he said. "It's too much. But being here is to honour his memory."

'It's so heartbreaking'

Kasra Saati an aircraft mechanic formerly with Viking Air was the second Calgary-based victim confirmed byCBC News.

Nina Saeidpourgot to know Saati and his family in 2013 when they landed in Calgary as newcomers.

"He was there to visit his family and was just coming home," Saeidpour said. "Unfortunately, he never made it."

Saeidpour said it was heartbreaking to hear news of what had happened, but it was emotional to see the support from the dozens of Calgarians who attended the vigil.

"It's very important, when you see something that happened to your community. It gives you a good feeling [to see the support]," she said. "We are here in a country to make that country our home. It's so nice to see that other people support you."

Two University of Calgary alumni who had moved awayfrom Calgary were also among the dead, the university said Thursday.

Calgary's vigil was one of several held across the country on Friday.

Another will be held at the Triwood Community Association in Calgary on Saturday, while a public memorial will be held in Edmonton on Sunday.

Other victims

In Edmonton, initial reports from multiple sources and community members indicated that as many as 30 people connected to the Edmonton community died in the crash. So far, CBC News has been able to confirm 13 names

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The disaster was the largest loss of life among Canadians since 1985, when268 Canadians died aftera bomb exploded onan Air India flight over the Atlantic Ocean.

Iran announced Saturday that its military "unintentionally" shot down the Ukrainian jetliner that crashed earlier this week, killing all 176 aboard, after the government had repeatedly denied Western accusations that it was responsible.