Today in News History

On June 24, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1774, François-Nicolas-Benoît Haxo, French general and engineer (died 1838) was born. In 1911, Ernesto Sabato, Argentinian physicist and academic (died 2011) was born. In 1946, Ellison Onizuka, American engineer, and astronaut (died 1986) was born. In 1950, Jan Kulczyk, Polish businessman (died 2015) was born. In 1973, The UpStairs Lounge arson attack takes place at a gay bar located on the second floor of the three-story building at 141 Chartres Street in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana, US. Thirty-two people die as a result of fire or smoke inhalation. In 1975, Eastern Air Lines Flight 66 encounters severe wind shear and crashes on final approach to New York's JFK Airport killing 113 of the 124 passengers on board, making it the deadliest U.S. plane crash at the time. This accident led to decades of research into downburst and microburst phenomena and their effects on aircraft. In 1979, Petra Němcová, Czech model and philanthropist was born. In 1982, "The Jakarta Incident": British Airways Flight 009 flies into a cloud of volcanic ash thrown up by the eruption of Mount Galunggung, resulting in the failure of all four engines. In 2012, Gu Chaohao, Chinese mathematician and academic (born 1926) passed away. In 2021, The Champlain Towers South condominium in Surfside, Florida suffers a sudden partial collapse, killing 98 people inside. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.