1891day.year
SS Utopia collides with HMS Anson in the Bay of Gibraltar and sinks, killing 562 of the 880 passengers on board.
The 1891 collision between SS Utopia and HMS Anson off Gibraltar resulted in the tragic sinking of the Utopia and the loss of over 500 lives.
On March 17, 1891, the British ocean liner SS Utopia collided with the battleship HMS Anson in the Bay of Gibraltar.
The impact tore a hole in Utopia’s hull, causing rapid flooding and the ship capsized within minutes.
Despite rescue efforts by passing vessels and naval boats, 562 of the 880 passengers and crew on board perished.
The disaster highlighted risks of crowded anchorages and led to stricter maritime safety regulations.
Memorials were erected in Gibraltar and aboard British naval ships to honor the victims of this maritime tragedy.
1891
SS Utopia
HMS Anson
Bay of Gibraltar
1957day.year
A plane crash in Cebu, Philippines kills Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay and 24 others.
A plane crash in Cebu on March 17, 1957, claimed the life of Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay and 24 others, plunging the nation into mourning.
Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay was aboard a Douglas C-47 that crashed near Mount Manunggal in Cebu on March 17, 1957.
The aircraft reportedly encountered mechanical issues before striking the mountain’s slopes.
Magsaysay, beloved for his populist leadership, died instantly along with his technical staff and crew.
His unexpected death triggered a period of national grief and led to Vice President Carlos P. Garcia’s succession.
The tragedy remains one of the most significant events in Philippine political history.
1957
plane crash
Cebu
Philippine President
Ramon Magsaysay
1960day.year
Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 710 crashes in Tobin Township, Perry County, Indiana, killing 63.
Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 710 crashes near Tobin Township, Indiana, killing all 63 on board.
The aircraft breaks apart mid-flight on March 17, 1960.
Flight 710, a Lockheed L-188 Electra turboprop, departed Chicago for Miami on March 17, 1960.
As it flew over southern Indiana, the plane encountered severe turbulence and structural stress.
At approximately 4 PM local time, the aircraft disintegrated and plummeted into a wooded area near Tobin Township.
All 63 passengers and crew perished instantly in the accident.
Investigators determined metal fatigue and design flaws contributed to the mid-air breakup.
The tragedy prompted the FAA and manufacturers to enhance inspection regimes and safety standards for turboprop aircraft.
Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 710
Tobin Township, Perry County, Indiana
1963day.year
Mount Agung erupts on Bali killing more than 1,100 people.
Mount Agung on Bali erupts catastrophically, killing over 1,100 people.
Ash and lava flows destroy villages and farmland.
On March 17, 1963, Mount Agung on the Indonesian island of Bali began a powerful eruption.
The volcano unleashed towering ash plumes, pyroclastic flows, and lava that engulfed nearby communities.
More than 1,100 residents perished beneath volcanic debris and toxic gases.
Ashfall darkened skies and contaminated water sources across the island.
Thousands more were displaced as emergency evacuations and relief efforts took place.
The eruption remained one of Indonesia's deadliest volcanic disasters of the 20th century.
1963
Mount Agung
Bali
1968day.year
As a result of nerve gas testing by the U.S. Army Chemical Corps in Skull Valley, Utah, over 6,000 sheep are found dead.
U.S. Army nerve gas tests in Skull Valley, Utah, lead to the death of over 6,000 sheep.
The incident raises public outcry over chemical weapons testing.
On March 17, 1968, ranchers in Skull Valley, Utah, discovered more than 6,000 sheep dead on their grazing land.
Investigations linked the livestock deaths to nerve agent testing by the U.S. Army Chemical Corps at a nearby facility.
Windborne chemical agents drifted into civilian areas, contaminating pastures and water sources.
The incident triggered protests from local communities and environmental groups.
It prompted Congressional hearings on the safety and ethics of chemical weapons research.
As a result, the Army revised its testing protocols and instituted buffer zones around test sites.
1968
nerve gas
U.S. Army
Chemical Corps
Skull Valley, Utah
found dead
1979day.year
The Penmanshiel Tunnel collapses during engineering works, killing two workers.
The Penmanshiel Tunnel collapses during engineering works in Scotland, killing two workers.
The accident leads to the permanent closure of the historic railway tunnel.
On March 17, 1979, the Penmanshiel Tunnel on the East Coast Main Line in Scotland collapsed during renovation work.
Two construction workers were trapped and killed when part of the tunnel's roof gave way.
Emergency crews recovered the bodies and assessed extensive structural damage.
Investigation revealed that alterations to the tunnel lining had weakened its support arches.
The collapse forced the railway line to be rerouted and the tunnel to be abandoned.
This incident underscored the importance of rigorous engineering assessments in infrastructure projects.
1979
Penmanshiel Tunnel
1988day.year
A Colombian Boeing 727 jetliner, Avianca Flight 410, crashes into a mountainside near the Venezuelan border killing 143.
Avianca Flight 410 crashes into a Colombian mountainside near the Venezuelan border, killing all 143 on board.
The accident prompts reviews of airline safety and approach procedures.
On March 17, 1988, Avianca Flight 410, a Boeing 727 en route from Cartagena to Cali, struck a mountainside during its descent.
Poor visibility and potential navigational errors contributed to the accident near the Venezuelan border.
All 143 passengers and crew on board were killed when the aircraft broke apart on impact.
Local rescue teams faced difficult terrain and weather conditions in recovery efforts.
The crash investigation cited pilot misjudgment of altitude and failure to follow approach protocols.
Avianca and aviation authorities implemented enhanced training and stricter approach guidelines thereafter.
1988
Colombian
Boeing 727
jetliner
Avianca Flight 410
Venezuelan
2000day.year
Five hundred and thirty members of the Ugandan cult Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God die in a fire, considered to be a mass murder or suicide orchestrated by leaders of the cult. Elsewhere another 248 members are later found dead.
Over 500 members of the Ugandan cult Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God perish in a tragic fire, in what is suspected to be mass murder or mass suicide.
On March 17, 2000, authorities discovered the bodies of 530 members of the Ugandan cult Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God at their church in Kanungu.
Initial investigations suggested the fire was set deliberately, raising suspicions of mass murder orchestrated by cult leaders.
In the following weeks, another 248 bodies were found in remote locations, possibly victims of ritualistic killings or mass suicide.
The cult, founded in the 1980s, had attracted followers with promises of biblical prophecy and apocalyptic teachings.
Leaders instilled fear of the world’s end, controlling members’ lives through strict rules and isolation.
The tragedy remains one of the deadliest mass killings in modern Ugandan history and a stark example of cult extremism.
2000
Ugandan
Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God