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All Zambia Ndola Dag Hammarskjöld Crash Site

Dag Hammarskjöld Crash Site

A memorial marks the spot where a plane crash killed several United Nations members on a peace mission to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Ndola, Zambia

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Memorial at the center of the site.   PatTheGreat / Atlas Obscura User
The spot where Dag Hammarskjöld’s body was found.   PatTheGreat / Atlas Obscura User
Another view of the anthill and memorial.   PatTheGreat / Atlas Obscura User
Outside of the museum located on the site.   PatTheGreat / Atlas Obscura User
A bust of Dag Hammarskjöld inside the museum.   PatTheGreat / Atlas Obscura User
Closeup of the plaque marking the spot where Dag Hammarskjöld’s body was found.   PatTheGreat / Atlas Obscura User
Quote from Dag Hammarskjöld.   PatTheGreat / Atlas Obscura User
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About

On September 17, 1961, Dag Hammarskjöld, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, was traveling on a mission to help broker a peace deal for the civil unrest raging in the Democratic Republic fo the Congo. He was flying, along with 18 other members of the UN staff and other international officials, to Ndola to meet with the prime minister of Katanga Province.

As the plane was preparing to land in Ndola, it crashed, skimming the tops of the trees and finally hitting down near an anthill. A fireball was seen from Ndola, but rescue personnel were unable to reach the site until daybreak. Dag Hammarskjöld's body was found in a seated position at the foot of the anthill, and the other passengers were people found closer to the wreckage.

In the years since, there have been several investigations into the crash trying to determine whether the plane was sabotaged or shot down, but no conclusive evidence has ever been found.

Today, an expansive memorial stands at the crash site. A plaque marks the exact spot at the foot of the anthill where the Secretary-General's body was found, and a monument surrounded by quotes from Dag Hammarskjöld commemorates the mission of the plane's passengers. A small museum at the site explains the circumstances of the peace mission and the crash, and the work of the United Nations.

Related Tags

Crash Site Politics Government Aircraft Memorials Monuments

Know Before You Go

The site is located about 15 kilometers from Ndola. A taxi from town should be able to take you there, or you can drive on your own and park at the site. A caretaker at the site will collect the entry fee and explain the site. Every year, on the anniversary of the crash, a memorial service takes place attended by the president of Zambia and all members of the UN mission in Zambia.

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PatTheGreat

Published

February 20, 2019

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Sources
  • "A Guide to Zambia's Heritage," published by the National Heritage Conservation Commission
  • "Zambia's Outstanding Natural, Cultural, & Historic Sites," by Nicholas M. Katanekwa
Dag Hammarskjöld Crash Site
Unnamed Road
Ndola
Zambia
-12.973446, 28.522739
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