Air transport is considered the safest mode of transport. Statistics show that the odds of aeroplane accidents is 1 in 1.2 million, while that of fatalities is 1 in 11 million.
However, there have been hundreds of disasters. In this article, check out the worst aeroplane disasters in history.
1. Tenerife Airport Disaster
A series of unfortunate events caused the Tenerife Airport disaster in 1977. The accident involved two Boeing 747 passenger aeroplanes; KLM Flight 4805 and Pan Am Flight 1736. The accident’s death toll stood at 583, with all the occupants of KLM 4805 losing their lives, alongside most of those in Pan Am Flight 1736. Due to bad weather (fog), lack of ground radar, and miscommunication, KLM Flight 4805 initiated its takeoff roll while Pan Am Flight 1736 was still on the runway. As a result, the two collided, and all hell broke loose.
2. Japan Air Lines Flight 123
The second most unfortunate disaster was Japan Airlines Flight 123 in 1985. With 524 occupants, the Boeing suffered rapid decompression 12 minutes after leaving Haneda Airport in Tokyo. 32 minutes later, the ill-fated plane crashed. Out of the 524 occupants on board, only 4 survived. The accident’s cause was traced back to faulty repair and maintenance by the Boeing technicians after a tail strike earlier.
3. Charkhi Dadri Mid-Air Collision
The third worst aviation disaster happened in 1996, involving Saudia Flight 763, a Boeing 747 and Kazakhstan Airlines Flight 1907, and Ilyushin Il-76. The two planes collided in mid-air, killing all 349 people in both planes. The blame fell on the Kazakhstani pilots, who failed to maintain the appropriate altitude. Apparently, they were busy fighting turbulence.
Other worst disasters include the Turkish Airlines Flight 981, which claimed 346 lives and American Airlines Flight 191, which took 275 lives, including two on the ground.
