The history of aviation contains both great achievements for humanity and great tragedies. Some airplane crashes have caused hundreds of people to lose their lives, thousands to mourn and millions to be shocked. In this article, we have compiled the 7 biggest plane crashes in the world, their causes, consequences and photos.
The 7 biggest plane crashes in the world
Tenerife Airport Disaster: In 1977, two Boeing-747 passenger planes belonging to KLM and Pan American airlines collided on the runway in Tenerife, Spain. This accident was recorded as the biggest disaster in aviation history with 583 fatalities1.
Japan Airlines Flight 123 Crash: In 1985, a Japan Airlines Boeing-747 passenger plane en route from Osaka to Tokyo crashed in a mountainous area 44 minutes after take-off. The crash was recorded as the second biggest disaster after the Tenerife disaster, killing 520 people2.
Charkhi Dadri Airport Crash: In 1996, in Charkhi Dadri, India, a Boeing-747 passenger plane of Saudi Arabian Airlines and an Ilyushin-76 cargo plane of Kazakhstan Airlines collided in mid-air. With 349 fatalities, this accident was recorded as the biggest air accident3.
Lockerbie Bombing Attack: In 1988, in Lockerbie, United Kingdom, a Boeing-747 passenger plane belonging to Pan American Airlines was destroyed in mid-air when a bomb exploded. With 270 deaths, this attack was recorded as the biggest accident caused by an act of terrorism4.
September 11 Attacks: In 2001, in New York, USA, two Boeing-767 passenger planes belonging to American Airlines and United Airlines were hijacked by terrorists and crashed into the towers of the World Trade Center. This attack was recorded as the biggest terrorist attack in aviation history with 2,977 deaths.
Flight MH17 Crash: In 2014, a Malaysia Airlines Boeing-777 passenger plane was shot down by a missile by pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine. With 298 fatalities, this was the worst accident in a war zone.
Flight MH370 Crash: In 2014, a Malaysia Airlines Boeing-777 passenger plane disappeared en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. This accident was recorded as the biggest mystery in aviation history with the death of 239 people.
