Swissair Flight 330

Infobox Airliner accident
Name= Swissair Flight 330
Date= February 21, 1970
Type= Bombing
Fatalities= 47
Injuries= 0
Origin= Zürich International Airport
Destination= Tel Aviv, Israel
Aircraft Type= Convair CV-990
Passengers= 38
Crew= 9
Survivors= 0
Operator= Swissair
Site= Lucerne, Switzerland |

Swissair Flight SR330 was a regularly scheduled flight from Zürich International Airport in Kloten, Switzerland to Tel Aviv, Israel.

On February 21, 1970, HB-ICD [ [http://www.airliners.net/open.file/108667/M/ Photos: Convair 990-30A-6 Coronado Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net ] ] a Convair CV-990 "Coronado" jet named “Baselland” was flying on the route with 38 passengers and nine crew members. A bomb detonated in the aft cargo compartment of the aircraft about nine minutes after take-off climb-out on southerly course approximately at 12:15 UTC in the area of Lucerne north of the Gotthard-Pass. The crew tried to turn around and attempt an emergency landing at Zürich but had difficulty seeing the instruments due to smoke in the cockpit. The aircraft deviated more and more to the west and crashed a short time later in a wooded area at Würenlingen near Zürich, Switzerland, due to the loss of electrical power. All aboard the aircraft were killed.

The PFLP group of George Habash claimed responsibility for the bombing. A barometric triggered IED had been used.

On the same day, a bomb exploded aboard a Vienna-bound Caravelle after takeoff from Frankfurt. The Caravelle landed safely.

References