When people commute, they expect a smooth and easy ride. They trust that they’ll make it to their intended destination. No one expects for their ride to be their last ride. Alas, in life, anything can happen. We’ve all heard stories of plane or train crashes. We hear about the mass casualties and that the possibility of survivors may be next to none in a few of these tragedies. Have a look at some of the worst commuter tragedies of all time.
Boeing 747, New Delhi India, 1996
Most crashes that we hear of occur when there is a collision on the ground or at sea. That’s what makes this particular crash may be a rarity when it comes to crashes. On November 12, 1996, An Ilyushin-76 cargo plane happened to be flying in a certain direction. This plane was operated by Air Kazakhstan.
Another plane which was a Boeing 747 was operated via Saudi Arabian Airlines. There was some confusion on the part of the Air Kazakhstan plane and it was told that it was clear to land in New Delhi. The Boeing 747 plane was in the same route, and both planes collided into each other over a village in Haryana, which is close to New Delhi, India. 349 people died as a result of this collision. The investigation of this accident concluded that the pilot of the Air Kazakhstan plane failed to follow ATC instructions.
Boeing 747, Mount Fuji, Japan, 1985
Sometimes faulty equipment or malfunctioning equipment could be the cause of a major crash. In this case, an aft pressure bulkhead was the cause of a Boeing 747 crash that occurred on August 12, 1985.
This Boeing 747 plane was en route to its destination from Itami International Airport to Haneda International Airport in Tokyo. The flight was going according to plan, and then the unexpected happened in the middle of the air. The aft pressure bulkhead which was repaired before the plane took off caused the tail of the plane to be destroyed and an explosion occurred. The result of the explosion: 520 people died, and miraculously, four people survived.
Douglas DC-10, Orly, France, 1974
This has got to be one of the most bizarre accidents in history. On March 3, 1974, a Douglas DC-10 plane made its way from Turkey and was in France when the unexpected happened.
The cargo door of the Douglas DC-10 opened up during the flight. What happened next is beyond comprehension. For some reason or another, the control cables came into play because the cabin floors collapsed. The control cables got damaged and the flight went out of control. The plane crashed in a forest near the city of Senlis. 346 passengers were killed and this disaster became known as the “Ermenonville air disaster.”
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