June 6
1981
1981 Bihar Train Disaster
On June 6, 1981, a passenger train in Bihar, India derailed and plunged into the rain-swollen Bagmati River near Badlaghat. Overcrowded and running atop a flood-weakened embankment amid monsoon downpours, the train’s carriages tumbled into the river, leading to one of the deadliest rail disasters in history—with 500 to 800 or more fatalities. Rescue and recovery efforts were hampered by the force of the river and poor records, leaving the true human toll uncertain. Read more
1971
Hughes Airwest Flight 706 Crash
On June 6, 1971, a midair collision between a Hughes Airwest DC-9 and a US Marine Corps F-4B Phantom II over Duarte, California, resulted in the deaths of all 49 aboard the airliner and one of the military jet’s crew. The disaster exposed gaps in airspace management, ultimately leading to major reforms in aviation safety and traffic collision avoidance. Read more
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