Remembering Korean Air 007

KOREAN AIR AIRBUS A330-323 HL8025 (MSN 1611)

Korean Air flight 007 was a scheduled flight from New York City to Seoul via Anchorage, Alaska. On the 1st of September 1983, the flight was shot down by a Soviet Sukhoi Su-15TM Flagon-F interceptor aircraft. 

The Boeing 747-230B airliner was en route from Anchorage International Airport, AK (ANC/PANC) to Seoul-Gimpo (Kimpo) International Airport (SEL/RKSS) but owing to a navigational mistake made by the crew, the airliner drifted from its planned route and flew through Soviet airspace. The Soviet Air Forces treated the unidentified aircraft as an intruding U.S. spy plane, and destroyed it with air-to-air missiles, after several firing warning shots. The South Korean airliner eventually crashed into the sea near Moneron Island west of Sakhalin in the Sea of Japan, killing all 246 passengers and 23 crew aboard, including Larry McDonald, a United States representative. 

It is the worst Korean Air disaster to date.

Aircraft Information:
Airline: Korean Air
Code: KE/KAL

Aircraft: Boeing 747-230B

Registration: HL7742
Serial Number: 20559
Engines: 4 x GE CF6-50E2
First Flew: 17/03/1972
Age: 11.6 Years

The aircraft started its life with Condor
31/03/1972 Condor as D-ABYH
03/02/1979 Korean Air as HL7442