A Search for Roots Amidst Ashes: Cork's Malayali Community Seeks Family of 1985 Air India Tragedy Victims

A Search for Roots Amidst Ashes: Cork's Malayali Community Seeks Family of 1985 Air India Tragedy Victims

The Cork Pravasi Malayali Association in Ireland has issued an urgent appeal to locate the legal heirs and relatives of the Alexander family, who tragically lost their lives in the 1985 Air India (Kanishka) Flight 182 plane crash.

This search comes ahead of the 41st anniversary of the aviation disaster. The local Indian diaspora is organizing an event to honor Cork University Hospital for its pivotal and historic role in the rescue and recovery operations following the tragedy. The association is seeking information to ensure the family is represented during this memorial.

Tracing the Memories of the Alexander Family

On June 23, 1985, Air India Flight 182 exploded mid-air due to a terrorist bombing over the Atlantic Ocean, crashing off the southwest coast of Ireland. All 329 passengers and crew on board perished. Among the victims were four members of a Malayali family:

• Annamma Alexander (53)
• Reena Alexander (10)
• Simon Alexander (54)
• Simon Alexander Junior (9)

Following the crash, the bodies of Annamma and 10-year-old Reena were recovered from the ocean. However, since no claimants or relatives arrived to receive the bodies, they were laid to rest locally in Cork. For over four decades, their graves have been meticulously looked after and maintained by a local caretaker named Finbarr Archer.

Tragically, the bodies of Simon Alexander and Simon Junior were never recovered from the sea.

A Gathering to Remember and Honor

The Kanishka crash remains the deadliest aviation disaster in Irish history. In the wake of the tragedy, the staff at Cork University Hospital provided unparalleled service in managing the emergency and handling the recovery process.

As the 41st anniversary approaches, the Malayali community in Cork wishes to have the relatives or representatives of the Alexander family present at the event honoring the hospital. The association requests media houses and individuals in Kerala to help spread this message to reach the right people.

How to Share Information

If you have any information regarding the ancestral home, relatives, or family tree of Annamma, Simon, Reena, or Simon Junior in Kerala or abroad, please contact the association directly:

• Phone: +353 87 482 7897
• Email: CorkPravasi2010@gmail.com

Please share this message widely to help a community connect the missing pieces of this tragic history and find the roots of those resting far from home.

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