Hamilton’s McMaster university hosts memorial for Air India bombings 40th anniversary

About 100 people gathered at McMaster University Saturday for the first day of a conference commemorating the 40th anniversary of the bombing of Air India flight 182 that killed 331 people back in the summer of 1985.

The terrorist attack which happened almost 40 years ago is still the worst tragedy in Canadian history.

However family members of victims say they don’t feel like its spoken about enough and say that’s why events like today are necessary.

It was a triggering yet therapeutic day for family members of victims of Air India flight 182.

On June 23 1985, a bomb exploded on Air India flight 182 en route from Toronto to London, England killing all 329 people on board.

The plane had various passengers and baggage transfers from a Vancouver flight where the bomb was initially loaded.

Another explosion in the baggage terminal at Tokyo’s Narita International Airport killed two baggage handlers the same day.  The baggage was also from a flight from Vancouver.

The conference includes the launch of the Air India flight 182 memory archive, dance, poetry, film and a roundtable of family members who lost loved ones to the bombing.

Jayashree Thampi who was a panelist says she lost her 7 year old daughter and husband on that tragic day.

“This is not something that you heal over and they always take time heals. It never heals, teaches you how to cope up” said Thampi.

The organizer says the event aims to remember and honour those lost but to also educate people about this significant historical tragedy, and also says the story of Air India flight 182 should be taught in schools across the country.

“It’s important we start educating children because this is part of history, it’s part of Canadian history, and it has to be told so that future generations will know that this can happen in Canada, it can happen in the future” said Thampi.

The organizer says they have started uploading materials from their archives which includes old photos and newspaper articles and the group plans to put it online so it will be accessible for the public.