New Delhi, June 23: The diplomatic missions of Canada and Ireland held a tribute ceremony on Tuesday to commemorate the 41st anniversary of the Air India Flight 182 tragedy, also known as the Kanishka bombing.
Canadian High Commissioner Chris Cooter and Irish Deputy Ambassador Raymond Mullin participated in the memorial event at Canada House in New Delhi, alongside families of the victims. Senior officials from the Indian government and members of the diplomatic community were also present.
Attendees paid their respects by laying flowers at the memorial tree planted in 2025, observing two minutes of silence, and signing the condolence book.
Chris Cooter remarked, “Even after 41 years, this incident serves as a painful reminder of the loss of 329 innocent lives. Terrorism is unacceptable in any society, and Canada, India, Ireland, and our international partners remain committed to peace, security, and justice.”
Raymond Mullin added, “The families of the victims have endured this tragedy with courage for over four decades. Terrorism leaves deep scars, but it cannot extinguish the spirit of humanity.”
On June 23, 1985, Air India Flight 182 was en route from Montreal to London and New Delhi when a bomb exploded at an altitude of approximately 9,400 meters over Irish airspace, causing the aircraft to crash into the Atlantic Ocean. A total of 329 people lost their lives in this disaster.
Among the deceased were 268 Canadians, 27 British, 22 Indians, 10 Americans, and 2 individuals whose nationalities remain unclear.
Since then, Canada has observed June 23 as National Victims of Terrorism Awareness Day, with permanent memorials established in several cities, including Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, and Ottawa.
In March of this year, Mahesh Chandra Sharma, who lost his family in this tragedy, was honored with the Order of Canada. He has also initiated a scholarship program in memory of his family.
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