Cork [Ireland], June 23 (ANI): On the 40th anniversary of the Kanishka bombing, Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri, Irish Prime Minister, Micheal Martin, and Canadian Minister of Public Safety, Gary Anandasangaree, laid a wreath at the Ahakista Memorial in Cork in Ireland, to pay homage to the victims.

On June 23, 1985, Air India Flight 182 was blown up by the Canada-based Khalistani terrorist group Babbar Khalsa near Cork, resulting in the deaths of all 329 passengers on board.

Speaking at the event, Micheal Martin said, 'Very honoured to be here in Ahakista this morning on this 40th anniversary of that terrible day in 1985 that saw the Air India flight cruelly and horrifically brought down off our coastline. It's always a privilege and honour to attend this sober commemoration and to witness the dignity, dedication and care with which you remember your loved ones who died so horrifically 40 years ago today.'

He stated, '329 innocent people lost their lives over the skies of Ireland that morning, and the passing of time does not dim the scale of loss and this atrocity. We feel the enormity of your loss when we see the faces and read the stories on the memorial here, before us. Especially moving are these simple descriptions: student, child, so many young lives taken far too soon. While the scale of this horrific act is of global significance, we should never forget that it is an intensely personal tragedy. The loss and grief felt by you, the families and loved ones of the people who died that June morning in 1985 is deeply personal. One only needs to come here on any year and listen to you speak, witness you placing flowers into the sea or laying wreaths to understand how powerful that grief endures.'

He also offered condolences to the people of India, the United Kingdom, Portugal and Canada over the recent plane crash in Ahmedabad. On June 12, a London-bound Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed into a hostel complex of BJ Medical College in the Meghani Nagar area of Gujarat's Ahmedabad shortly after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.

Martin said, 'I'm sure that this year those memories will have added poignancy as those events were echoed tragically with the horrific accident in Ahmedabad just over 10 days ago and I want to take this opportunity to again offer my sincere condolences and those of the of the people of Ireland, to the people of India, United Kingdom, Portugal and Canada and the families of all who perished in that crash. Most of us can only imagine the heartbreak suffered by the loved ones of those who died in that flight, but you here today, you know that suffering, and I know all of those people are in all our thoughts and prayers.'

'It is through sadness and grief that we are gathered here but what I do find heartening is what has emerged from this tragedy, what all of you have created from this dignity, love and remembrance and also a deepened connection between Canada, India and Ireland and especially the deep bond forged between the families of the victims of this atrocity and the local community here in a Harkista and Cork more generally,' he added.

During the event, Mayor of the County of Cork, Councillor Joe Carroll, laid a wreath at the Ahakista Memorial in Cork. People in large numbers were present at the event to pay tribute to the victims of the Kanishka bombing. School students paid musical tribute to victims at the Ahakista Memorial in Cork.

An Indian delegation arrived in Ireland to attend the 40th anniversary of the memorial of the Kanishka terror attack. The delegation led by Hardeep Singh Puri includes BJP MLA in Delhi Assembly, Arvinder Singh Lovely, Minister of State in the Uttar Pradesh government, Baldev Singh Aulakh, BJP MLA from Sadulshahar in Ganganagar, Rajasthan Assembly, Gurveer Singh Brar, BJP MLA from RS Pura in Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, Narinder Singh Raina, BJP MLA from Kashipur in the Uttarakhand Assembly, Trilok Singh Cheema- BJP MLA from Kashipur in Uttarakhand Assembly, BJP National General Secretary Tarun Chugh and India's Ambassador to Ireland, Akhilesh Mishra.

This event not only commemorates the 329 innocent victims of the 1985 terror attack but also reinforces the global commitment against terrorism.

While heading to Cork, Hardeep Singh Puri in a post on X wrote, 'On the way from Heathrow to Cork... The dastardly mid-air bombing of Air India Kanishka Flight 182 in 1985, which claimed 329 innocent lives off the Irish Coast, remains one of the most inhuman acts of terror in aviation history. I was able to pay tribute to the victims at the Kanishka Memorial at Humber Bay Park in Toronto in September 2019 where I also met family members of several victims who had shared their pain and suffering.'

'On Monday, 23 June 2025, I will lead an Indian delegation comprising senior Punjab leader Sh @tarunchughbjp Ji, legislators from several states Sdr @ArvinderLovely Ji, Sdr @BaldevAulakh Ji, Sdr @GurveerBrar Ji and Sdr Trilok Singh Cheema Ji, to join the Irish Prime Minister HE @MichealMartinTD, Canadian Minister of Public Safety HE Gary Anandasangaree @gary_srp and others, to pay homage to the victims at an event at the Ahakista Memorial in Cork, Ireland, in a solemn moment of remembrance and unity, on the 40th anniversary of the reprehensible Kanishka Bombing,' he added. (ANI)