Sadness and frustration as family, community pay tribute to victims of Air India bombing on 38th anniversary

Friday marked the 38th anniversary of the deadliest terrorist attack in Canadian history. The Air India bombing killed more than 300 people, most of them Canadian.

On June 23, 1985, a plane traveling from Montreal to London was destroyed by a bomb. The wreckage of Air India Flight 182 was located off the coast of Ireland. All 329 people on board were killed.

Gurdial Sidhu’s sister-in-law and her two children were among those killed.

“We lost everything. You know, her family was gone,” said Sidhi, who spoke Friday night at a ceremony held at the Air India memorial in Stanley Park.

Health Minister Adrian Dix, whose wife lost family on that flight, also addressed the crowd.

“Eighty-two children under the age of 12 [were] on that flight. Why was that the case? Because it was June 23 and school had just ended and those that blew up the plane -- those that committed those acts of murder – knew that,” said Dix.

Officials believe the bombing was a Sikh terrorist conspiracy targeting the Indian government. The lengthy investigation led to arrests of several suspects located in B.C. However, the alleged masterminds were acquitted in court.

“It’s sadness and anger, because we were unable to bring the culprits and put them behind bars,” said Jagdeep Singh Sanghera, one of the dozens who attended Friday night’s ceremony.

A recent poll found 9 in 10 Canadians have little to no knowledge of the tragic event. It’s a figure that some call heart-breaking and unacceptable.

“We have to make sure we don’t forget the memory of those victims,” said Dave Hayer, former Surrey MLA. “Also, we want to learn from it, to make sure we don’t have another mistake like this.”

Despite the fact it has been nearly four decades since the tragedy, Sidhu addressed the crowd seeking information, not giving up the pursuit of justice.

“I still have hope, still have hope,” she said.