Llogara Tragedy
| Time |
14:00 CET (bus accident) 19:00 CET (helicopter crash) |
|---|---|
| Date | 22 November 1989 |
| Location |
Kudhes, Albania (bus accident) Vuno and Llogara Pass, Himara, Albania (helicopter crash) |
| Casualties | |
| 23 dead | |
The Tragedy of Llogara refers to a bus accident and helicopter crash near Himare, Albania. On 22 November 1989, a bus carrying students from the Agricultural University of Tirana fell from a ravine and crashed along the mountainous road between Himara and Vuno in Albania. As a result, Albanian authorities sent 2 helicopters aiding in the transportation of the casualties back to Tirana. However, the weather conditions were deteriorating with heavy fog in the area. Despite such a setback, pilots decided to fly back to Tirana carrying the casualties, only to crash their helicopters on a mountain side near Vuno and Llogora respectively killing all people aboard.
Significance
This event is significant as for the high number of casualties, and its publication on the international media while Albania was still under the communist regime amid the collapse of the Berlin Wall a few weeks earlier.