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Canada pays tribute to victims of 1985 Air India flight bombing
"This terrorist attack remains the deadliest attack in our country’s history—one we must never forget," PM Mark Carney said.
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Prabhjot Paul Singh - Mon, 23, Jun 2025
- 12:25 EDT
- 20
Remembrance gathering to honour the lives lost in the AirIndia182 tragedy / X@CanadainIndia
With tears running dry and emotions flying high, relatives and friends of the victims of the Air India Flight 182 disaster assembled at various venues in Canada, Ireland, and India at commemoration ceremonies to mark the 40th anniversary of one of the worst terrorist attacks in modern history.
On June 23, 1985, Air India flight AI 182, operating on the Montreal-London-Delhi route, was blown up by a bomb at an altitude of 9,400 meters and crashed into the Atlantic Ocean while in Irish airspace.
A total of 329 people, including 268 Canadians, were killed in the bombing. Two more people were killed in a separate, but related, bombing at the Narita Airport in Japan.
Relatives of the victims travelled to Ireland in the days following the bombing. The Irish Naval Service led a recovery operation to retrieve the remains of the victims and the wreckage of the flight. Many of the relatives stayed with the villagers of Ahakista, County Cork, during this time. A permanent memorial was erected by the village in 1986, and a commemoration is held there each year on the morning of June 23.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, in a message remembering the families and friends of the victims, said, “Forty years ago, innocent civilians, including over 250 Canadians, were killed in the bombing of Air India Flight 182. This terrorist attack remains the deadliest attack in our country’s history—one we must never forget.
“As we mark the National Day of Remembrance for Victims of Terrorism, we remember the victims of the Air India bombing and all others who have lost their lives to terrorism.
Canada will continue to work with our allies and partners, at home and around the world, to better detect, prevent, and respond to the threat of terrorism and violent extremism. We are also increasing funding for national security, defence, and law enforcement, and enhancing intelligence sharing with our allies.
“Canada’s new government unequivocally stands against terrorism, and we will deliver on our mandate of change to keep communities safe,” Mark Carney concluded.
In New Delhi, the Charge d’affaires of Canada, Jennifer Daubeny, and the Irish Ambassador to India, Kevin Kelly, joined families of the victims, including the crew members of the ill-fated Air India Flight 182 disaster, at a commemoration ceremony at Canada House to mark the 40th anniversary of the terrorist attack.
Senior officials from the Government of India and members of the diplomatic community attended the ceremony.
Speaking on the occasion, Daubeny said, “Today is the National Day of Remembrance for Victims of Terrorism in Canada—a day that marks the anniversary of the bombing of Flight 182 and the lives lost. 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. 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 said, “40 years on from the tragedy of Flight 182, we remember with sorrow the 329 innocent lives lost to an evil act of terror. It is with some solace that we recall how the people of Ahakista in County Cork came out to support the families of those who died. Today, here in India, in Ireland, and in Canada, we stand in solidarity with their families. May their memory live on and be a reminder of the fact that innocent civilians need to be safe from terror wherever they are in the world.”
Guests signed a remembrance book on the occasion and planted a tree in memory of the victims. A minute’s silence was also held to remember those who died on Flight 182 and those who lost their lives in the very recent tragic air crash in Ahmedabad.
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