41st Anniversary of Air India Tragedy Marked at Ahakista Memorial
Cork marks the 41st anniversary of the Air India Flight 182 tragedy at Ahakista Memorial, with families, dignitaries and community paying their respects.
Cork County Council joined families of victims, international dignitaries and members of the local community at the Air India Memorial in Ahakista, West Cork, to mark the 41st anniversary of the Air India Flight 182 tragedy.
The annual ceremony commemorates the 329 people who lost their lives on 23rd June 1985, when the aircraft was brought down off the Irish coast, together with two baggage handlers killed in a related incident. The disaster remains the worst aviation disaster in Irish and Canadian history.
This year's ceremony began at the memorial monument with a minute of silence, followed by a moving tribute from the families of the victims through chanting and readings from Christian and Hindu representatives.
Wreaths were laid by family members and dignitaries, including the Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr. Mary Linehan Foley; the Honourable Gary Anandasangaree, Canadian Minister of Public Safety; Indian Ambassador to Ireland Manish Gupta; representatives from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police; the Naval Service; An Garda Síochána; and Coláiste Pobail Bheanntraí. The Ahakista Choir, made up of children from Ahakista National School, also performed.
Cllr. Mary Linehan Foley, Mayor of the County of Cork:
"The names of those who were lost are forever intertwined with the story of our county. Here in Cork, and especially in West Cork, their memory has never faded. We carry it with us, and we remain steadfast in our commitment that they will never be forgotten."
The Air India Memorial at Ahakista continues to attract visitors from around the world each year, serving as a lasting tribute to those who lost their lives.
