1962day.year
At Paris Orly Airport, Air France Flight 007 overruns the runway and explodes when the crew attempts to abort takeoff, killing 130.
Air France Flight 007 crashed at Paris Orly Airport on June 3, 1962, killing 130 people when it overran the runway and exploded.
Shortly after takeoff from Orly Airport, Air France Flight 007 experienced an aborted takeoff and overran the runway on June 3, 1962. The Boeing 707 briefly became airborne before crashing and bursting into flames, killing 130 of the 132 people on board. Many of the passengers were American cultural and civic leaders en route to a tour of Europe's art treasures. Investigations cited pilot error and runway conditions as contributing factors. The disaster prompted stricter international safety regulations and underscored the need for improved crew training and airport infrastructure.
1962
Orly Airport
Air France Flight 007
1969day.year
Melbourne–Evans collision: off the coast of South Vietnam, the Australian aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne cuts the U.S. Navy destroyer USS Frank E. Evans in half; resulting in 74 deaths.
An accidental collision in 1969 at South Vietnam's coast saw HMAS Melbourne sever the USS Frank E. Evans in two, killing 74 sailors.
On June 3, 1969, the Australian aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne collided with the U.S. destroyer USS Frank E. Evans off the coast of South Vietnam. In heavy darkness, Melbourne's bow struck Evans amidships, cutting the destroyer in half. The disaster claimed the lives of 74 American sailors, making it one of the worst peacetime naval accidents. Rescue operations recovered survivors from the water and assisted the wounded. An international inquiry attributed the collision to navigational errors on both vessels. The tragedy led to revisions in naval procedures and shipboard watch protocols to prevent future mishaps.
1969
Melbourne–Evans collision
South Vietnam
HMAS Melbourne
USS Frank E. Evans
1973day.year
A Soviet supersonic Tupolev Tu-144 crashes near Goussainville, France, killing 14, the first crash of a supersonic passenger aircraft.
The first crash of a supersonic passenger jet occurred in 1973 when a Soviet Tupolev Tu-144 nose-dived near Goussainville, France.
During an international air show near Goussainville, France, on June 3, 1973, a Soviet Tupolev Tu-144 prototype broke apart mid-flight. The supersonic aircraft descended rapidly and crashed into a nearby residential area, killing all 14 people on board. This accident marked the first fatal crash of a civilian supersonic transport. Investigators pointed to structural failures exacerbated by steep maneuvers during demonstration flights. The disaster shook public confidence in supersonic passenger travel. It contributed to operational restrictions on the Tu-144 and fueled skepticism that ultimately hindered its commercial viability.
1973
Soviet
supersonic
Tupolev Tu-144
crashes
Goussainville
1980day.year
The 1980 Grand Island tornado outbreak hits Nebraska, United States, causing five deaths and $300 million (equivalent to $1145 million in 2024) worth of damage.
A rare tornado outbreak struck Grand Island, Nebraska in 1980, claiming five lives and causing $300 million in damage.
On June 3, 1980, a complex series of tornadoes, known as the Grand Island tornado outbreak, swept through Nebraska. Powerful storm cells spawned seven tornadoes within a two-hour period, some reaching F4 strength. The most destructive twisters carved through urban and rural areas, destroying homes, businesses, and farmland. Five people lost their lives and dozens more were injured. The outbreak inflicted over $300 million in property damage, equivalent to more than $1.1 billion today. The event underscored the importance of improved warning systems and weather prediction technologies.
1980
1980 Grand Island tornado outbreak
Nebraska
1991day.year
Mount Unzen erupts in Kyūshū, Japan, killing 43 people, all of them either researchers or journalists.
Mount Unzen's 1991 eruption in Kyūshū, Japan killed 43 people, all researchers and journalists.
On June 3, 1991, Mount Unzen on Japan's Kyūshū island unleashed a powerful eruption accompanied by deadly pyroclastic flows. The volcanic activity had intensified since May, prompting scientists and journalists to monitor the crater closely. In the early hours, fast-moving avalanches of superheated gas and volcanic debris raced down the mountain slopes. Forty-three people in the observation zone were caught in the flow and lost their lives. The tragedy highlighted the extreme dangers faced by volcano researchers in active eruption zones. Subsequent safety protocols and remote monitoring technologies were significantly improved to protect observers.
1991
Mount Unzen
Kyūshū
1998day.year
After suffering a mechanical failure, a high speed train derails at Eschede, Germany, killing 101 people.
A high-speed ICE train derails near Eschede, Germany, killing 101 people and becoming one of Europe's deadliest rail disasters.
On June 3, 1998, an Intercity-Express train suffered a catastrophic mechanical failure and derailed near the village of Eschede in Lower Saxony.
The derailed cars struck a road bridge, which collapsed onto the train and caused massive destruction.
A total of 101 passengers lost their lives and hundreds more were injured in the crash.
The accident remains the deadliest high-speed train disaster in railway history.
Investigations revealed that a fatigue crack in a wheel rim led to the failure, prompting widespread safety reforms.
The tragedy led German rail operators to overhaul inspection protocols and wheel design standards.
1998
a high speed train derails
2012day.year
A plane carrying 153 people crashes in a residential neighborhood in Lagos, Nigeria, killing everyone on board plus six people on the ground.
A commercial passenger aircraft crashes into a Lagos residential district, killing all 153 people aboard and six residents on the ground.
On June 3, 2012, Dana Air Flight 992, bound from Abuja to Lagos, plummeted into the Iju-Ishaga neighborhood during its final approach.
All 153 passengers and crew on board perished in the impact and ensuing fire.
Six people on the ground also lost their lives when the aircraft struck homes and ignited buildings.
It was one of the deadliest aviation disasters in Nigerian history and prompted national mourning.
Investigators cited possible engine failure and pilot error as contributing factors.
The tragedy led to calls for stricter safety oversight of Nigeria’s airlines and airports.
2012
crashes
Lagos, Nigeria
2013day.year
At least 119 people are killed in a fire at a poultry farm in Jilin Province in northeastern China.
A devastating fire at a poultry farm in Jilin Province, China, kills at least 119 workers and highlights industrial safety concerns.
On June 3, 2013, a massive fire broke out at a commercial poultry processing facility in Jilin Province in northeastern China.
The blaze rapidly engulfed the factory complex, trapping many workers inside as smoke and flames spread through the production lines.
Emergency responders faced delays gaining access to the site, complicating rescue efforts in the remote agricultural area.
Chinese authorities reported at least 119 fatalities and dozens of injuries, making it one of the deadliest industrial fires in recent memory.
Investigations focused on potential safety violations, inadequate fire suppression systems and lack of emergency protocols.
The tragedy prompted national scrutiny and calls for stricter enforcement of workplace safety regulations in China’s booming agribusiness sector.
killed in a fire
Jilin Province