1778day.year
In the Hawaiian Islands, Captain James Cook becomes the first European to visit Maui.
In 1778, British explorer Captain James Cook became the first European to land on the Hawaiian island of Maui during his third Pacific voyage.
On November 26, 1778, Captain James Cook and his crew reached Maui, marking the first recorded European encounter with the island.
Cook’s visit followed his earlier landfalls at Kauai and Oahu, as he charted the uncharted Hawaiian archipelago for the British Crown.
His crew documented local customs, natural resources, and geography, laying the groundwork for future Western contact.
Interactions with the native Hawaiians were initially peaceful, though cultural misunderstandings would later have consequences.
Cook’s landing on Maui expanded European knowledge of the Pacific and heralded a new era of exploration and eventual colonization in Hawaii.
1778
Hawaiian Islands
James Cook
Maui
1983day.year
Brink's-Mat robbery: In London, 6,800 gold bars worth nearly £26 million are stolen from the Brink's-Mat vault at Heathrow Airport.
Heathrow Airport's Brink's-Mat vault was robbed of 6,800 gold bars worth nearly £26 million in one of Britain's largest heists.
In the early hours of November 26, 1983, armed robbers infiltrated the Brink's-Mat warehouse at London Heathrow Airport and made off with over six tonnes of gold bullion valued at nearly £26 million. The audacious heist, orchestrated with inside information, stunned the nation and remains one of the largest robberies in British history. Thieves drilled through a sealed vault, overpowered security guards, and loaded the precious cargo into waiting vehicles before vanishing into the night. Despite extensive investigations and some arrests, much of the stolen gold was never recovered and is believed to have been laundered or melted down. The crime prompted sweeping reforms in airport security, cash handling procedures, and spurred numerous books and documentaries exploring its enigmatic aftermath.
1983
Brink's-Mat robbery
Heathrow Airport
2004day.year
Ruzhou School massacre: A man stabs and kills eight people and seriously wounds another four in a school dormitory in Ruzhou, China.
On November 26, 2004, a man stabbed and killed eight people at a school dormitory in Ruzhou, China, and wounded four others before being apprehended.
On November 26, 2004, a man entered a school dormitory in Ruzhou, Henan Province, China, and stabbed students and teachers.
He killed eight people and seriously wounded four others before being apprehended.
The attack shocked the nation and raised urgent concerns about school security and mental health support.
Authorities condemned the violence and called for stricter measures to protect educational institutions.
The incident remains one of the deadliest school attacks in modern Chinese history.
It prompted a reassessment of campus safety protocols across the country.
2004
Ruzhou School massacre
Ruzhou