1703day.year
The Great Storm of 1703, the greatest windstorm ever recorded in the southern part of Great Britain, makes landfall. Winds gust up to 120 mph, and 9,000 people die.
The Great Storm of 1703, one of the most severe windstorms ever recorded in southern Great Britain, made landfall causing widespread devastation and thousands of deaths.
On December 7, 1703, the Great Storm struck southern Great Britain with unprecedented ferocity. Hurricane-force winds, estimated at up to 120 mph, laid waste to coastal towns and inland communities. Thousands of ships were wrecked along the English Channel, and storm surges inundated low-lying areas. Contemporary accounts estimate the death toll at around 9,000 people, making it one of the deadliest windstorms in British history. The storm prompted significant improvements in weather observation and naval architecture. It remains a benchmark for extreme weather events in Europe.
1703
Great Storm of 1703
1944day.year
An earthquake along the coast of Wakayama Prefecture in Japan causes a tsunami which kills 1,223 people.
A powerful earthquake off the coast of Wakayama Prefecture on December 7, 1944, generated a tsunami that killed over 1,200 people.
On December 7, 1944, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck off Wakayama Prefecture, Japan.
The seismic event triggered a devastating tsunami that swept inland coastal villages.
Over 1,200 lives were lost, and many more homes and fishing communities were destroyed.
Wartime conditions hampered rescue and relief efforts by local authorities.
The disaster remains one of Japan’s deadliest coastal tsunamis and prompted improvements in early warning and coastal defenses.
1944
An earthquake along the coast of Wakayama Prefecture
1946day.year
A fire at the Winecoff Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia kills 119 people, the deadliest hotel fire in U.S. history.
On December 7, 1946, a fire broke out at the Winecoff Hotel in Atlanta, resulting in 119 fatalities and becoming the deadliest hotel fire in US history.
In the early hours of December 7, 1946, the Winecoff Hotel, billed as ‘absolutely fireproof,’ erupted in flames.
Trapped guests and staff faced rapidly spreading fire and thick smoke in the building’s wooden interior.
Lacking external fire escapes and adequate alarms, many occupants could not evacuate in time.
The tragedy claimed 119 lives, including prominent business travelers and local residents.
The disaster prompted sweeping changes in national fire safety regulations and building codes.
1946
A fire at the Winecoff Hotel
Atlanta, Georgia
1982day.year
The Senior Road Tower collapses in less than 17 seconds. Five workers on the tower are killed and three workers on a building nearby are injured.
On December 7, 1982, the Senior Road Tower collapses in under 17 seconds during construction, killing five workers and injuring three others.
During construction of the Senior Road Tower, structural failure causes the tower to buckle and fall in under 17 seconds.
Five workers on the tower die instantly, while three workers on an adjacent building suffer injuries.
The rapid collapse underscores the dangers of high-rise construction without adequate safety measures.
Investigations follow to determine the cause, spurring calls for stricter oversight and building standards.
The tragedy highlights the critical importance of engineering safety protocols.
Senior Road Tower
1983day.year
An Iberia Airlines Boeing 727 collides with an Aviaco DC-9 in dense fog while the two airliners are taxiing down the runway at Madrid–Barajas Airport, killing 93 people.
A tragic runway collision occurs at Madrid–Barajas Airport on December 7, 1983, when an Iberia Boeing 727 collides with an Aviaco DC-9 in heavy fog, killing 93 people.
As dense fog blankets Madrid–Barajas Airport, two passenger jets begin taxiing on the same runway.
An Iberia Boeing 727 breaches its assigned path and strikes the wing of an Aviaco DC-9.
The impact ruptures fuel tanks, leading to a fire that claims 93 lives onboard both aircraft.
The disaster prompts major revisions to ground movement regulations and air traffic control procedures.
Improved fog navigation aids and stricter clearance protocols are later implemented to prevent similar accidents.
1983
Iberia Airlines
Boeing 727
collides
Aviaco
DC-9
Madrid–Barajas Airport
1987day.year
Pacific Southwest Airlines Flight 1771, a British Aerospace 146-200A, crashes near Paso Robles, California, killing all 43 on board, after a disgruntled passenger shoots his ex-boss traveling on the flight, then shoots both pilots and steers the plane into the ground.
On December 7, 1987, Pacific Southwest Airlines Flight 1771 was deliberately crashed near Paso Robles, California, resulting in 43 fatalities.
On December 7, 1987, Pacific Southwest Airlines Flight 1771, a British Aerospace 146-200A, encountered a deadly midair crisis.
A passenger, angry over being fired, shot his former employer onboard and then the two pilots.
Left alone in command, he deliberately crashed the aircraft into the hills near Paso Robles, California.
All 43 people aboard lost their lives in the tragedy.
The incident prompted major changes in airline security procedures and passenger screening policies.
It remains one of the deadliest acts of air piracy in U.S. aviation history.
1987
Pacific Southwest Airlines Flight 1771
British Aerospace 146-200A
Paso Robles, California
1988day.year
The 6.8 Ms Armenian earthquake shakes the northern part of the country with a maximum MSK intensity of X (Devastating), killing 25,000–50,000 and injuring 31,000–130,000.
A devastating magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck northern Armenia, causing widespread destruction and tens of thousands of casualties.
On December 7, 1988, a magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck the mountainous regions of northern Armenia with a maximum MSK intensity of X.
Entire towns and villages were flattened within seconds, leaving survivors without shelter amid freezing temperatures.
Estimates place the death toll between 25,000 and 50,000, with up to 130,000 people injured.
Rescue efforts faced severe challenges due to damaged roads and harsh winter conditions.
The disaster led to major revisions of seismic building codes across the Soviet Union.
Annual memorials and museums now honor the victims of this catastrophic quake.
1988
Armenian earthquake
MSK
1993day.year
Long Island Rail Road shooting: Passenger Colin Ferguson murders six people and injures 19 others on the LIRR in Nassau County, New York.
On December 7, 1993, a mass shooting aboard a Long Island Rail Road train in New York left six dead and 19 wounded.
On December 7, 1993, passenger Colin Ferguson opened fire aboard a Long Island Rail Road train during the evening commute in Nassau County, New York.
Armed with a semiautomatic pistol, he targeted unsuspecting commuters in the crowded carriage.
Six people were killed and nineteen others wounded before the train reached its next station.
Passengers and crew members eventually disarmed and subdued Ferguson after the final shot.
The incident shook the region and sparked broad debates over gun control and transit security.
Ferguson’s subsequent trial raised complex issues of race, mental health, and jury selection.
1993
Long Island Rail Road shooting
LIRR
Nassau County, New York
1995day.year
Khabarovsk United Air Group Flight 3949 crashes into the Bo-Dzhausa Mountain, killing 98.
On December 7, 1995, Flight 3949 crashed into Bo-Dzhausa Mountain in Russia’s Far East, claiming 98 lives.
On December 7, 1995, Khabarovsk United Air Group Flight 3949, operating an Antonov aircraft, collided with Bo-Dzhausa Mountain amid severe weather.
The flight was descending through dense fog and turbulence when it deviated from its intended course.
All 98 passengers and crew aboard perished upon impact with the rugged terrain.
Rescue operations were hampered by the remote location and harsh winter conditions.
Authorities investigated pilot decision-making and navigational equipment under adverse weather.
The tragedy led to calls for enhanced mountain weather forecasting and stricter flight safety protocols in the region.
Khabarovsk United Air Group Flight 3949
Bo-Dzhausa Mountain
1995day.year
An Air Saint Martin (now Air Caraïbes) Beechcraft 1900 crashes near the Haitian commune of Belle Anse, killing 20.
On December 7, 1995, an Air Saint Martin Beechcraft 1900 crashed near Belle Anse, Haiti, killing all 20 aboard.
On December 7, 1995, a Beechcraft 1900 operated by Air Saint Martin (now Air Caraïbes) crashed on approach to Belle Anse, Haiti.
The aircraft encountered unstable weather and challenging coastal terrain during descent.
All 20 passengers and crew tragically died in the collision with hill slopes.
Local rescue teams faced landslides and damaged roads while reaching the remote site.
Investigators examined mechanical performance, pilot decisions, and meteorological data.
The accident prompted improvements to regional flight regulations and airport infrastructure in Haiti.
Air Caraïbes
Beechcraft 1900
crashes
Belle Anse
2005day.year
Rigoberto Alpizar, a passenger on American Airlines Flight 924 who allegedly claimed to have a bomb, is shot and killed by a team of U.S. federal air marshals at Miami International Airport.
On December 7, 2005, passenger Rigoberto Alpizar was shot and killed by U.S. federal air marshals at Miami Airport after claiming to have a bomb.
On December 7, 2005, Rigoberto Alpizar, aboard American Airlines Flight 924, told crew he had a bomb, prompting a security response.
The aircraft was diverted to Miami International Airport, where federal air marshals confronted him on the jet bridge.
Believing he posed an immediate threat, marshals fired, fatally wounding Alpizar.
No explosive device was ever recovered, raising questions about threat assessment.
The incident spurred reviews of air marshal training, passenger mental health evaluation, and airport security protocols.
Debates over the balance between swift action and verification continue in aviation safety discussions.
2005
Rigoberto Alpizar
federal air marshals
Miami International Airport
2016day.year
Pakistan International Airlines Flight 661, a domestic passenger flight from Chitral to Islamabad, operated by an ATR-42-500 crashes near Havelian, killing all 47 on board.
On December 7, 2016, PIA Flight 661 crashed into mountainous terrain near Havelian, Pakistan, resulting in 47 fatalities.
On December 7, 2016, Pakistan International Airlines Flight 661, an ATR-42-500 turboprop, departed Chitral for Islamabad but encountered trouble shortly after takeoff.
The crew reported engine problems before the aircraft lost altitude and crashed into a remote hillside near Havelian.
All 47 passengers and crew on board tragically perished in the impact.
Rescue teams faced difficult access and rugged terrain during recovery efforts.
Investigators examined maintenance history, engine performance data, and pilot actions under duress.
The accident underscored the risks of operating turboprop flights in challenging, high-altitude environments.
2016
Pakistan International Airlines Flight 661
Chitral
Islamabad
ATR-42-500
Havelian