Incident Overview
Air India Flight 182 was a scheduled international flight from Toronto Pearson International Airport to Mumbai’s Sahar International Airport, with stops at Mirabel, London, and Delhi. On the morning of June 23, 1985, while operating the Montreal-London segment, the aircraft exploded near the coast of Ireland. The explosion was caused by a bomb planted by Sikh terrorists from the Babbar Khalsa.
Aircraft and Flight Details
The aircraft involved was a Boeing 747-237B. The flight originated in Toronto and was bound for Mumbai, with intermediate stops including Montreal, London, and Delhi. The explosion occurred during the leg from Montreal to London.
Casualties
All 329 people on board were killed. Among the victims were 268 Canadian citizens, 27 British citizens, and 22 Indian citizens. The incident resulted in the highest number of fatalities from a single aircraft bombing in history at the time.
Historical Context
The bombing of Air India Flight 182 is recognized as the worst terrorist attack in Canadian history. It was the world's deadliest act of aviation terrorism until the September 11 attacks in 2001. Additionally, it remains the deadliest aviation incident in the history of Air India and the deadliest no-survivor hull loss of a single Boeing 747.