On 23 June 1985, an Air India Boeing 747 bound for Delhi from Toronto exploded some 120 miles off the coast of Cork killing all 329 people on board (mostly Canadian and Indian citizens).
The explosion was the result of a radio bomb installed in a piece of onboard luggage. It was the deadliest terrorist attack involving an airliner prior to the 11 September 2001 attacks on New York City, and (occurring as it did in Irish airspace) it dropped Ireland right into the middle of a humanitarian recovery effort.
That recovery would take some weeks, and Cork was the designated base of operations.
The Irish Navy and Defence Forces, emergency services and gardaí were naturally enough drafted in to help with the effort.
This need for manpower came at a time Ireland was strapped firmly within a recession.
And according to papers released by the National Archives under the 30-year rule, it led to some difficult decisions for Ireland’s diplomatic officials.
03/01/17 The Journal
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The explosion was the result of a radio bomb installed in a piece of onboard luggage. It was the deadliest terrorist attack involving an airliner prior to the 11 September 2001 attacks on New York City, and (occurring as it did in Irish airspace) it dropped Ireland right into the middle of a humanitarian recovery effort.
That recovery would take some weeks, and Cork was the designated base of operations.
The Irish Navy and Defence Forces, emergency services and gardaí were naturally enough drafted in to help with the effort.
This need for manpower came at a time Ireland was strapped firmly within a recession.
And according to papers released by the National Archives under the 30-year rule, it led to some difficult decisions for Ireland’s diplomatic officials.
03/01/17 The Journal
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