May 23

On May 23, 2013, a concrete span of the Interstate 5 bridge over Washington's Skagit River collapsed when an oversize load hauling machinery struck one of its supports. Motorists watched in alarm as the roadway plunged into the river below, though fortunately no fatalities occurred. Initial rescue operations focused on clearing debris and treating those injured in nearby vehicles. The collapse disrupted a vital trade artery between the U.S. and Canada, forcing lengthy detours and economic impacts for weeks. The incident spurred nationwide reviews of bridge safety, load regulations, and infrastructure maintenance protocols.

On May 23, 2021, a tragic accident struck the Lake Maggiore region of northern Italy when a cable car descending from the mountains above Stresa broke away and crashed to the ground. Fourteen people on board lost their lives in the fall, while a handful of survivors recounted harrowing escapes. Rescue teams navigated steep, rocky terrain to recover victims and provide aid. Investigations were launched into cable car maintenance records and mechanical systems to determine the cause. The disaster sent ripples through the European tourism industry and prompted immediate safety inspections of similar transport systems.

On May 23, 2021, Belarusian authorities diverted Ryanair Flight 4978 en route from Athens to Vilnius, scrambling a fighter jet to intercept the civilian aircraft over Belarus. Under the guise of a bomb threat, the plane was compelled to land in Minsk, where passenger Roman Protasevich, a prominent opposition journalist, was arrested. The hijacking drew swift international outrage, with the EU and U.S. denouncing the incident as state-sponsored terrorism against civil aviation. Airlines rerouted flights to avoid Belarusian airspace, and new sanctions targeted Belarusian aviation and government officials. The event underscored escalating repression under President Lukashenko's regime and raised urgent questions about flight safety.