Today in News History

On July 6, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1904, Erik Wickberg, Swedish 9th General of The Salvation Army (died 1996) was born. In 1936, A major breach of the Manchester Bolton & Bury Canal in England sends millions of gallons of water cascading 200 feet (61 m) into the River Irwell. In 1940, Story Bridge, a major landmark in Brisbane, as well as Australia's longest cantilever bridge is formally opened. In 1960, Maria Wasiak, Polish businesswoman and politician, Polish Minister of Infrastructure and Development was born. In 1962, As a part of Operation Plowshare, the Sedan nuclear test takes place. In 1982, While attempting to return to Sheremetyevo International Airport, Aeroflot Flight 411, an Ilyushin Il-62, crashes near Mendeleyevo, Moscow Oblast, killing all 90 people on board. In 1988, The Piper Alpha drilling platform in the North Sea is destroyed by explosions and fires. One hundred sixty-seven oil workers are killed, making it the world's worst offshore oil disaster in terms of direct loss of life. In 1989, The Tel Aviv-Jerusalem bus 405 suicide attack: Sixteen bus passengers are killed when a member of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad took control of the bus and drove it over a cliff. In 1996, A McDonnell Douglas MD-88 operating as Delta Air Lines Flight 1288 experiences a turbine engine failure during takeoff from Pensacola International Airport, killing two and injuring five of the 147 people on board. In 2013, A 73-car oil train derails in the town of Lac-Mégantic, Quebec and explodes into flames, killing at least 47 people and destroying more than 30 buildings in the town's central area. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.