Amid unprecedented tensions between India and Canada over anti-Sikh violence allegedly orchestrated by the Indian government, with senior diplomatic staff from both countries declared personae non grata and sent home, the government of Canada sent an RCAF CC-330 Husky to retrieve 211 passengers stranded in Iqaluit, Nunavut after their flight from Delhi to Chicago was diverted there after a series of bomb threats against Air India were posted on the Internet.
Air India AI127, a Boeing 777, landed at Iqaluit in northeastern Canada in the early morning hours of October 15, less than 24 hours after the RCMP accused Indian diplomats in Canada of perpetrating violence against Canadian Sikhs in Canada.
According to Iqaluit government representatives, the town of 7,500 does not have the means to house hundreds of people on a moment’s notice, so help was requested from the federal government.
Emergency Preparedness Minister Harjit Sajjan, himself a practising Sikh, tweeted shortly after that he had authorized a military Airbus to carry the Air India passengers and crew to their final destination of Chicago.
“They made sure we had games, a TV … they had a physician, two nurses and a pharmacist,” passenger Aruna Vallavhaaneni-Amin said of the airport staff in an interview with the CBC. Social media posts show many enjoyed the experience. A local musician had been brought in the entertain the passengers. Altogether, the Air India passengers spent 18 hours in Iqaluit.
“We thank the Canadian authorities and authorities at Iqaluit airport for their support and assistance extended to the passengers and Air India during this unexpected disruption,” the privately owned airline said in a post.
The RCMP’s Federal Arctic Unit is conducting an investigation into the incident.