Today in News History

On July 6, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1915, Leonard Birchall, Royal Canadian Air Force pilot (died 2004) was born. In 1919, The British dirigible R34 lands in New York, completing the first crossing of the Atlantic Ocean by an airship. In 1939, Jet Harris, English bass player (died 2011) was born. In 1978, Adam Busch, American actor, director, and producer was born. 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 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 2009, Robert McNamara, American businessman and politician, 8th United States Secretary of Defense (born 1916) passed away. In 2013, A Boeing 777 operating as Asiana Airlines Flight 214 crashes at San Francisco International Airport, killing three and injuring 181 of the 307 people on board. In 2021, An Antonov An-26 operating as Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky Air Flight 251 crashes on approach to Palana Airport, killing all 28 aboard. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.