March 27
1977
Tenerife Airport Disaster
On March 27, 1977, two Boeing 747 passenger jets—flights operated by KLM and Pan Am—collided on a fog-shrouded runway at Los Rodeos Airport in Tenerife. With 583 lives lost, it remains the deadliest aviation disaster in history. The crash, set against a backdrop of crowded ramps, miscommunications, and a chilling lack of visibility, transformed the way the world thinks about cockpit protocol, air traffic control, and the fragile choreography of flight. Read more
1964
The Good Friday Earthquake
On March 27, 1964, a magnitude 9.2 earthquake struck Southcentral Alaska, causing massive destruction, deadly tsunamis, and profound changes in science, emergency response, and seismic engineering. The disaster killed 131 people and remains North America’s most powerful recorded quake. Read more
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Explore more events in March
Mar 20
The 1995 Tokyo Subway Sarin Attack
On March 20, 1995, members of the Aum Shinrikyo cult released sarin gas on Tokyo subway lines during rush hour, killing thirteen people and injuring over 5,500. The unprecedented attack exposed major vulnerabilities in public safety and led to sweeping changes in emergency response and anti-terrorism policy in Japan.
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Mar 3
Mayerthorpe Tragedy
The Mayerthorpe Tragedy marked a dark day for Canadian law enforcement, claiming the lives of four RCMP officers at the hands of a violent felon, James Roszko.
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Mar 31
Murder of Selena
On March 31, 1995, Selena Quintanilla-Pérez—a beloved Tejano singer and cultural icon—was fatally shot by her former fan club president, Yolanda Saldívar, at a Corpus Christi motel. Selena’s death shocked millions of fans, devastated the Mexican-American community, and left lasting impacts on music and celebrity culture.
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