Air India Flight 182

Air India Flight 182 was a Boeing 747 that exploded on June 23, 1985 while at an altitude of 31,000 feet (9500 m) above the Atlantic Ocean, south of Ireland; all 329 on board were killed, of whom 82 were children and 280 were Canadian citizens. The explosion caused by a bomb placed in checked baggage was the single largest terrorist attack before those of September 11, 2001, and the largest mass murder in Canadian history. It occurred within an hour of the Narita Airport Bombing.

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Boeing 747 - June 23 - 1985 - Atlantic Ocean - Ireland - Canadian - September 11, 2001 - Narita Airport Bombing

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The Air India B747-237B “Emperor Kanishka” (registered VT-EFO) flew on a Montréal-Mirabel International Airport, – London Heathrow Airport – Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi – Sahar International Airport (now Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport), Bombay (now Mumbai) route.

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Air India - Montréal-Mirabel International Airport - London Heathrow Airport - Indira Gandhi International Airport - Delhi - Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport - Mumbai

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The Canadian government's trial of those accused of the bombing, Ripudaman Singh Malik and Ajaib Singh Bagri, is known as the Air India Trial. The investigation and prosecution took almost 20 years and was the costliest in Canadian history at nearly CAD $130 million. On March 16, 2005, the accused were found not guilty by Justice Ian Josephson in British Columbia and were released. The only person convicted of any involvement in the bombing was Inderjit Singh Reyat. On February 10, 2003 Reyat pled guilty to constructing the bomb used on Flight 182 and received a ten year sentence.

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CAD $ - March 16 - 2005 - British Columbia - February 10 - 2003

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Twenty years after the downing of Air India Flight 182, families gathered in Ahakista, Ireland to grieve. The mourners set free 329 white balloons into the grey cloudy sky. Relatives and friends of the victims push forth floating candles into the ebbing ocean. Prime Minister Paul Martin has declared the anniversary a national day of mourning. Many families say they are still searching for answers and justice, and demand a public inquiry.

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