Craig Hill Media and Consulting
Disasters
February 3, 1998 – US Marine jet severed ski-lift cable in Italy
On February 3, 1998, a U.S. Marine jet flying low over the town of Cavalese in the Italian Alps severed a ski-lift cable, sending a tram crashing to the ground and killing 20 people. Cavalese is located in the Dolomite Mountains, about 20 miles northeast of Trento, Italy. In 1976, 42 people there, including 15 … Continue reading
November 2 1982 Truck explosion kills 3,000 in Afghanistan
On November 2nd 1982, a truck exploded in the Salang Tunnel in Afghanistan, killing an estimated 3,000 people, mostly Soviet soldiers travelling to Kabul. The Soviet Union’s military foray into Afghanistan was disastrous by nearly every measure, but perhaps the worst single incident was the Salang Tunnel explosion in 1982. A long army convoy was … Continue reading
September 27 1854 Ships collide off Newfoundland
On September 27th 1854, sudden and heavy fog caused two ships to collide, killing 322 people off the coast of Newfoundland The Arctic was a luxury ship, built in 1850 to carry passengers across the Atlantic Ocean. It had a wooden hull and could reach speeds of up to 13 knots per hour, an impressive … Continue reading
July 24 1915 Hundreds drown in Eastland disaster
On July 24th 1915, the steamer Eastland overturned in the Chicago River, drowning between 800 and 850 of its passengers who were heading to a picnic. The disaster was caused by serious problems with the boat’s design, which were known but never remedied. The Eastland was owned by the St. Joseph-Chicago Steamship Company and made … Continue reading
May 28 1965 Mine explosion kills hundreds in India
On May 28th 1965, methane gas caused a mine explosion near Dharbad, India, that killed 375 people and injured hundreds more. The blast was so powerful that even workers on the surface of the mine were killed. The mine was located 225 miles northwest of Calcutta near the town of Dharbad and employed hundreds of … Continue reading
May 6 1937 Airship Hindenburg explodes in New Jersey
On May 6th 1937, the German airship Hindenburg, the largest dirigible ever built, exploded as it arrived in Lakehurst, New Jersey. Thirty-six people died in the fiery accident that has since become iconic, in part because of the live radio broadcast of the disaster. The dirigible was built to be the fastest, largest and most … Continue reading
April 15 1912 Titanic Sinks
On April 15th 1912, the RMS Titanic, billed as unsinkable, sank into the icy waters of the North Atlantic after hitting an iceberg on its maiden voyage, killing 1,517 people, of the 2,200 on board. It was 2:20 am, and about 400 miles south of Newfoundland, Canada. The United Kingdom’s White Star Line built the … Continue reading
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