June 28

On June 28, 1896, a devastating blast ripped through the Twin Shaft coal mine operated by the Newton Coal Company. The explosion triggered a massive cave-in, trapping and killing 58 miners underground. Rescue efforts were hampered by unstable debris and gas, delaying recovery of the victims. The tragedy underscored the perilous conditions faced by coal workers and spurred calls for mine safety regulations. Public outcry after the disaster contributed to future reforms in mine inspection and labor protections.

On June 28, 1904, the Danish passenger liner SS Norge departed Kristiansand bound for New York. In dense fog, the ship struck submerged Hasselwood Rock northwest of Ireland, tearing its hull open. Evacuation chaos ensued as lifeboats were launched; over 635 passengers and crew perished in the freezing Atlantic. The disaster was one of the worst civilian maritime tragedies of the early 20th century. Its aftermath led to improvements in navigational aids and ship safety regulations.

Aeroflot Flight 8641, a domestic passenger service, departed from Minsk on June 28, 1982. Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft suffered a sudden failure and crashed near the city of Mazyr in Belarus. All 132 people on board lost their lives, marking one of the Soviet Union's most catastrophic air disasters of the decade. The investigation was handled under strict confidentiality, leaving the precise cause officially undisclosed. Today, memorials in the region pay tribute to those who perished in this tragic accident.