Indian envoy and others pay tribute to victims of Air India bombing tragedy in Canada

India’s High Commissioner Ajay Bisaria on June 23 paid homage to the victims of the largest terrorist attack in Canadian history at the Air India memorial in Ottawa. A bomb exploded on Air India Flight 182 from Canada off the coast of Ireland on June 23, 1985, and killed 329 people including more than 280 Canadian citizens with 29 entire families and at least 86 children who were below the age of 12. The passenger jet explosion that took place off the coast of Ireland 36 years ago also claimed the lives of 24 Indians. 

As per news agency ANI, Bisaria said that the terrorist bombing of AI Flight 182 remains the ‘worst terrorist attack on Canada’ and noted that most of its victims were Canadians. The explosion was an outcome of a conspiracy conceived, planned and executed in Canada. The Indian High Commissioner also emphasised that it is fitting that Canada commemorates June 23 as National Day of Remembrance for victims of terrorism, adding that no religion, faith or cause can justify such violence.

"The terrorist bombing of the AI Flight 182 remains the worst terrorist attack on Canada. The majority of the victims were Canadians, and the bombing was the result of a conspiracy conceived, planned and executed in Canada. This was principally a Canadian tragedy, a British tragedy, an American tragedy, a global tragedy," said Bisaria as per news agency ANI.

"Our most enduring memorial to the victims will be rededicating ourselves to fighting and eliminating terrorism and militancy with strong determination and joint action," he said.

Others paid homage to victims

Separately, the Indian Consul General in Vancouver Manish visited the Air India memorial at Vancouver's Stanley Park while Indian Consul General in Toronto Apoorva Srivastava visited the Air India Memorials at Queen's Park and Humber Park in Toronto, and the Representative of India to ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) Shefali Juneja visited the Air India Memorial in Montreal. They all paid tribute to the hundreds of victims on the 36th anniversary of the tragic incident. As per ANI, the victims’ families and friends were also present at all the memorials. However, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the gatherings were muted with people following social distancing and wearing facemasks.

IMAGE: @HCI_Ottawa/Twitter