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  • na grohmiti
    replied
    Scannal on the 1985 Air India Disaster (rte.ie)
    Scannal on the 1985 Air India Disaster

    Nuashonraithe / Dé Luain, 24 Dfómh 2022 05:42

    In the first of a two-part Scannal special, Pádraig Ó Drisceoil investigates Air India Flight 182 which disappeared from the radar in air traffic control in Shannon in June of 1985.

    Early morning on the 23rd of June, 1985, Air India Flight 182 disappeared from the radar in air traffic control in Shannon. Air traffic controllers tried to make radio contact with the jumbo jet but to no avail. The subsequent air/sea rescue off the Irish coast was on a scale never before seen in Ireland: all 329 people on board perished. More than 80 of the 329 who died were children.

    In this two-part Scannal special, reporter and West Cork native Padraig O'Driscoll pieces together, through first-hand testimony, archive and interview, the events of that night and retraces the relatives’ decades-long battle for justice. He meets the first responders and Irish lifeboat, navy and medical staff who found themselves at the centre of an international terrorism incident and travels to Canada to meet the families of the victims, who recall their horrific journeys to Cork to identify their loved ones’ remains in 1985 – and their search, over four decades, for answers and justice.

    His investigation also reveals the unique bond that formed between the people of Ahakista in West Cork and the families of the victims throughout that painful first year – and the continuing love and respect that both communities hold for one another forty years on.

    Pádraig Ó Drisceoil
    In Canada Pádraig uncovers a very different narrative: a saga of botched police investigations and failed arrests, witness intimidation and murder, destroyed evidence and the collapse of the most expensive trial in Canadian history. And a community of relatives of the victims who feel marginalised and forgotten by the state. In the aftermath of the disaster, expressions of sympathy were sent by the Canadian authorities to the Indian state – yet the vast majority of the victims were Canadian citizens. Many of the victims’ families wonder whether things might have been different if those who died in the bomb had been white Canadians.

    As Pádraig picks through the bungling efforts of the Canadian security forces in their long and futile pursuit of justice, one of the key suspects is murdered outside his office in Vancouver, throwing the 1985 Air India disaster back onto the front pages again in 2022.

    This is the first time the story of the Air India disaster has been pieced together in this way on Irish television. It is a powerful story of human tragedy – but also of the families’ grace, resilience and dignity in the face of enormous loss and injustice. For anyone who has ever visited the Air India memorial in Ahakista and seen the faces of the victims on the monument, this powerful two-part Scannal special will remind them of why the world should never forget.
    Scannal - RTÉ Player (rte.ie)​​

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  • na grohmiti
    replied
    Man acquitted over Air India bombing off Cork coast dies in 'targeted shooting'


    Irish naval authorities bring ashore debris after the Air India Boeing 747 crash in Cork in June 1985. Picture: Andre Durand/AFP/Getty Images

    FRI, 15 JUL, 2022 - 15:32

    A man acquitted over the bombing of a 1985 Air India flight from Montreal to Mumbai has been killed in Canada, in what police believe was a targeted shooting.

    The family of Ripudaman Singh Malik confirmed the 70-year-old was shot and killed on Thursday morning in front of his clothing import business.

    Canadian police were called to a Surrey, British Columbia neighbourhood following reports of gunfire. They found a man with a gunshot wound.

    “The man was provided first aid by attending officers until emergency health services took over his care,” constable Sarbjit Sangha said. “The injured man succumbed to his injuries on scene.”

    Police did not release the name of the victim, but family confirmed Malik’s identity.



    A mourner weeps after the Air India crash.
    On June 23, 1985, 329 people died when Air India flight 182 exploded off the west Cork coast.

    It was due to stop over at Heathrow before going on to Delhi and eventually Mumbai. Passengers were primarily from Canada, plus India, Britain, and other countries. More than 80 of them were children.

    Malik, along with co-defendant Ajaib Singh Bagri, was found not guilty in March 2005 of murder and conspiracy.

    The attack on Air India Flight 182, is one of history’s deadliest bombings of a commercial airliner.

    Police have alleged it was plotted by Sikh extremists living in Canada as revenge on India for its storming of Sikhism’s Golden Temple in Amritsar in 1984.



    Babu and Padmini Turlapati from Toronto in the Memorial Garden at Ahakista, West Cork. They lost both their sons Sanjay and Deepak in the Air India disaster. Picture: Dan Linehan

    Malik and Ajaib Singh Bagri, a sawmill worker in Kamloops, British Columbia, were charged in 2000 with bombing Flight 182.

    They were also charged with killing two baggage handlers who died when a suitcase bomb, alleged by police as designed to destroy another Air India jet over the Pacific Ocean, exploded in Japan’s Narita airport.

    A memorial garden in Ahakista, West Cork was established to in memory of those who died on board Air India flight 182 and has since become a cherished place for families to visit and remember their loved ones, with relatives visiting the site on the anniversary.

    Guardian
    Man acquitted over Air India bombing off Cork coast dies in 'targeted shooting' (irishexaminer.com)

    Sounds like a strong dose of consequences to me.
    Last edited by na grohmiti; 16 July 2022, 00:02.

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  • na grohmiti
    replied
    35 Years today, but no ceremony at Ahakista due to Covid-19.
    The 35th anniversary of the Air India bombing is being marked with an online ceremony.

    Anniversary of Air India bombing marked online
    The 35th anniversary of the Air India bombing is being marked with an online ceremony today.

    Air India Flight 182 was en route from Montreal to New Delhi when a bomb exploded as it was flying off the southwest coast of Ireland on 23 June 1985, killing all 329 people on board.

    Mayor of County Cork Ian Doyle is among a number of local people taking part in an online remembrance ceremony, which has been organised by the victims' families who cannot travel to Ireland for the annual commemoration due to Covid-19 restrictions.

    In his message, Councillor Doyle said it was "deeply saddening that the families of those who were so tragically killed on this day 35 years ago cannot visit the memorial in Ahakista to mourn their loved ones".

    But, he said, as Mayor of the County of Cork he was honoured to be a part of the remembrance tradition.

    He laid wreaths at the Air India Disaster Memorial at Ahakista earlier this week on behalf of the victims' families, the Indian and Canadian governments and Cork County Council, a recording of which will be included in the online event.

    The remembrance is available to be viewed on the YouTube channel 'Air India Memorial’.


    One particularly tragic memory from the event was in the aftermath numerous Indian Consulate and embassy staff were made available to man reception in what was then the Cork Regional Hospital, as an influx of relatives of the passengers was expected. However there was some confusion when the relatives arrived and couldn't understand the consulate, most relatives being Canadian citizens.
    One of the Garda officers dealing with the identification of remains was an Inspector (Later Superintendent) Bambury. However the pronunciation took on a significantly indian tone in the aftermath, and this stayed with him for the remainder of his career.


    On 23 June 1985 Air India Flight 182 crashed off the south west coast of Ireland. All 329 passengers and crew on board were killed.

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  • moggy
    replied
    30 year anniversary June 23 more details more details to folow

    Originally posted by hptmurphy View Post
    definetley straight up and damn good at his job...you don't get his rank without being so..also found him to be very agressive and gung ho.

    I had a similar situation in batry in January 88 where I jumped into the tide to drag out some civvy who had fallen in a 3am.

    Got a COs invitation to go for a chat in his cabin and the words were mnetioned..but nothing ever became of it...until I saw the reference in my discharge papers records signed by the CO at the time...nice.

    Awards are granted primarily at the recommendation of a witness ,as enior officer who then passes it up the chain...the further reprt goes the better the chance.

    I don't think he will ever become flag rank though as ther is one little stain on his copy book.

    Laners on the morning of the Air India disaster I was on the range with the SM..not nowing that within six months I would have joined up....the result of a very mediocre leaving cert and a very benevolent uncle who moved me up the interview list.

    Robinson was /is a friend of my fathers although my father is 10 years older and they grew up in Ferrybank together.I was actually at his fathers funeral. I had been introduced some time earlier but all ways found the guy very dismissive and stanoffish.

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  • hptmurphy
    replied
    definetley straight up and damn good at his job...you don't get his rank without being so..also found him to be very agressive and gung ho.

    I had a similar situation in batry in January 88 where I jumped into the tide to drag out some civvy who had fallen in a 3am.

    Got a COs invitation to go for a chat in his cabin and the words were mnetioned..but nothing ever became of it...until I saw the reference in my discharge papers records signed by the CO at the time...nice.

    Awards are granted primarily at the recommendation of a witness ,as enior officer who then passes it up the chain...the further reprt goes the better the chance.

    I don't think he will ever become flag rank though as ther is one little stain on his copy book.

    Laners on the morning of the Air India disaster I was on the range with the SM..not nowing that within six months I would have joined up....the result of a very mediocre leaving cert and a very benevolent uncle who moved me up the interview list.

    Robinson was /is a friend of my fathers although my father is 10 years older and they grew up in Ferrybank together.I was actually at his fathers funeral. I had been introduced some time earlier but all ways found the guy very dismissive and stanoffish.

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  • sba
    replied
    Murph,

    I always found Robinson a fairly straight up kinda guy. I treated a few serious injuries in my role as an SBA in Bere Island one summer (one guy broke his back but thankfully made a full recovery.) , and Robinson was very supportive and full of praise. No DSM mind you!!!! But then, that was my job! He even put a letter into my file, which I saw when I left the NS. I never even knew about that letter, until I was signing off.

    So, I cant compain too loudly about him! I changed careers in the NS, and even got to go overseas twice. Perhaps Jim was looking after me???

    Anyway, I know we're veering off topic, but just wanted to say how Robinson was always pretty straight up with me

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  • Steamy Window
    replied
    Originally posted by hptmurphy
    Whilst credit is given where credit is due..I some times wonder are awards the notions of someone else..

    why wasn't Joe Deasy and his crew( Deirdre) awarded DSMs for the fastnet disaster in 1979 and...interestingly for guys who did a very similar role to the air india disaster in 1968 at the viscount crash..why were there no DSMs awarded then.

    The feeling in the NS at the time of Robinsons award that he put the gemini crew forward for awards on the understanding he got his own reward.

    ...

    Do the people who rightly warrant the award always get it.

    It was the case before the award of the good conduct medal that former chiefs of staff were awarded DSMs because of their good service,

    Surely this undermines the award as presented to those who actualy put their lives at risk prior to recieving the award.
    Veering off topic slightly...what is the process for getting a gallantry medal, i.e, does the unit/ship IC write up a recommendation and sends the recommendation up the chain of command? Are there citations given with the medals?

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  • Goldie fish
    replied
    Woods Hole perhaps? Didn't Howard Hughes and the CIA Tie in with Woods Hole to build the Glomar Explorer?

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  • Laners
    replied
    So Murph where exactly where you at the time ? .
    I was on Eithne at the time alongside in Cobh after a patrol , which was a great berth because we did not have to take the ferry back and forth to the base .
    A few of us where relaxing in the mess reading the Sunday papers that Sunday morning < Da Paper, included > when we heard the news from R . T .E about the crash .
    A lot of crew headed up to Cobh for a few drinks knowing that we where heading out again sometime soon and would miss the Sunday night at the Comodore .
    We ended up heading out a few days later with a bunch of Americans onboard who had flown in from the States with the Side Scan Sonar and all it's gear which was mounted off the after deck with a big A FRAME welded to the after railing and a huge winch and cable which they brought along with them in the C130 .
    They all had military style hair cuts and a few tatoos and always pulled out Zippo lighters with various U.S Military insigna on them .
    They all claimed they where from an Oceanagraphic Insitute in Florida and that they wher all civies now .
    Anyway if anyone has any more info on this .

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  • hptmurphy
    replied
    Whilst credit is given where credit is due..I some times wonder are awards the notions of someone else..

    why wasn't Joe Deasy and his crew( Deirdre) awarded DSMs for the fastnet disaster in 1979 and...interestingly for guys who did a very similar role to the air india disaster in 1968 at the viscount crash..why were there no DSMs awarded then.

    The feeling in the NS at the time of Robinsons award that he put the gemini crew forward for awards on the understanding he got his own reward.

    Interesting to note that a direct entry officer has aquired staff status ...unheard of within army ..because of his DSM which was largely promoted by him self.( he was always very cotraversial in his position of ships captain...take the sonia incident)

    Do the people who rightly warrant the award always get it.

    It was the case before the award of the good conduct medal that former chiefs of staff were awarded DSMs because of their good service,

    Surely this undermines the award as presented to those who actualy put their lives at risk prior to recieving the award.

    Leave a comment:


  • hptmurphy
    replied
    I remember exactly where I was.....incidently it was only by sheer coincidence that Aislingende up there..it should have been Emer but she was dealing with a brit span who was acting the bollocks regarding a detention.

    It was definetly Robinsons moment of Glory....interesting to note he is mentioned as an LTCDR serving on the warship while he was actually the ships captain...and it was the Aisling who coordinated the whole rescue/recovery operation.

    the others who were awarded DSMs were

    CPO/Sea Muiris Mahon
    L/sea John McGrath
    A/sea Terry Brown.

    I thought I'd mnetion these guys as nobody else ever seems willing to do so.

    The whole crew should have been awarded some sort of decoration as not one baulked from the task in hand.

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  • Goldie fish
    replied
    20 years ago.
    0813 23-6-1985

    RIP.

    Anyone in the Bantry area should make a point of visiting the Monument to those killed . Its located in Ahakista Bay and is quite moving.
    It consists of a sundial which falls on an arrow pointing to direction of the crash,only on the 23rd of june every year at the above time. Facing the bay there is a "wall of sorrow" which lists the names of all those Killed in the crash. It is tragic to see the similar surnames,which lead you to wonder how many families were killed on the Aircraft on that tragic day.

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  • Silver
    replied
    In such a scenario, would all our CG helis head to the scene ?

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  • Come-quickly
    replied
    But that doesn't matter cos it won't happen no never, it just won't, no more plane crashes cause the DOF said so.

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  • Goldie fish
    replied
    I remember the whole episode well. Our SAR facilities were shown up as a Joke. We had no Helis capable of flying that far out,and it was pure luck that Aisling was within 24 hours of the scene. I believe a merchant vessel was there first,and On Aislings arrival she took over as search Coordinator. 4 crew from this vessel were awarded the DSM in respect of the Horrible task they carried out during the search,recovering bodies that had fallen many thousands of feet,all the time fighting off the sharks that are all the time present in this part of the Atlantic.
    We witnessed British and American Helicopters being refuelled over Cork by hercules,while our own air corps looked on,unable to provide any assistance.
    I still have newspaper clippings from the time. Aisling Brought many bodies back to cork,and was replaced on scene by other Naval vessels including the Canadian Coast Guards John Cabot, HMS Challenger, and Later on the LE Eithne,which was fitted with a side scan sonar to locate the Black Boxes of the downed aircraft.

    It could easily happen again,and I doubt there would be much difference in the search,except for the occasional availability of Our own Coastguard Helis.

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