GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 29th June: The Canadian and Irish diplomatic missions in India jointly observed the 40th anniversary of the 1985 Air India Flight 182 bombing, one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in aviation history. A solemn ceremony was held at Canada House in New Delhi, where families of the victims, senior Indian government officials, and members of the diplomatic community gathered to pay tribute to the 329 lives lost.
The event was led by Canada’s Chargé d’affaires Jennifer Daubeny and Irish Ambassador to India Kevin Kelly. Addressing the gathering, Daubeny noted that June 23 is observed as the National Day of Remembrance for Victims of Terrorism in Canada, marking the Air India tragedy. “As we mark its 40th anniversary, we join with the families of the victims in paying homage to each one of the precious lives lost in this tragedy,” she said. “This anniversary is a reminder that we need to work together to defeat the forces of terrorism and support the peace and safety of our citizens.”
Ambassador Kelly highlighted the lasting impact of the tragedy on communities in Ireland and expressed solidarity with the bereaved families. “Forty years on from the tragedy of Flight 182, we remember with sorrow the 329 innocent lives lost to an evil act of terror,” he said. Recalling the aftermath of the crash, he praised the people of Ahakista in County Cork for opening their homes and hearts to grieving families. “Today, here in India, in Ireland and Canada, we stand in solidarity with their families. May their memory live on and remind us that innocent civilians must be protected from terror wherever they are in the world.”
The ceremony included the signing of a remembrance book, a minute’s silence, and the planting of a tree in memory of the victims. The gathering also remembered those who recently lost their lives in an unrelated air crash in Ahmedabad.
Air India Flight 182 was a Boeing 747 operating on the Montreal-London-Delhi route. On June 23, 1985, the aircraft was destroyed mid-air by a bomb at an altitude of 9,400 metres while flying over Irish airspace. All 329 people on board were killed, including 268 Canadian nationals. In a related attack, two more people died in a bombing at Japan’s Narita Airport.
Following the crash, relatives of the victims travelled to Ireland, where the Irish Naval Service led a recovery operation. The residents of Ahakista provided shelter and support to the families, and a permanent memorial was erected there in 1986. The site continues to host annual commemorations on June 23.
