Families Remember Victims of Japan’s Deadliest Plane Crash on 40th Anniversary

File: Tsubame, Japan

Family members of victims from the world’s deadliest single-aircraft accident gathered on Tuesday to hike to the crash site in Japan, marking the 40th anniversary of the tragedy that killed 520 people.

On August 12, 1985, Japan Airlines Flight 123, a Boeing 747, was about 40 minutes into its flight from Tokyo to Osaka when it crashed into Mount Osutaka, located roughly 120 kilometers northwest of Tokyo. On the anniversary, hundreds, including bereaved families and friends, walked the trails to the cenotaph at the crash site.

Among the attendees was a woman who lost her younger brother in the disaster. She shared her emotions with Fuji TV, saying, “I want to tell him that all of his family members are alive, with his soul on our shoulders. We’re doing our best to live our lives.”

The flight declared an emergency shortly after take-off due to a loud noise heard about ten minutes into the journey. Despite efforts to regain control, the plane began to shake violently before crashing into the mountain.

The tragedy resulted in the loss of 505 passengers, including a dozen infants, along with 15 crew members. Out of the 524 people aboard, only four passengers survived.

The crash was attributed to flawed repairs made to the aircraft’s rear bulkhead by Boeing engineers seven years prior, along with Japan Airlines’ inadequate oversight of safety protocols.