Today marks 24 years since the crash of Swissair Flight 111
Posted Sep 2, 2022 11:00:00 AM.
It was 24 years ago today that Swissair Flight 111 crashed off the coast of Nova Scotia near Peggy's Cove.
The flight left New York's JFK Airport bound for Switzerland just after nine o'clock in the evening and about an hour later a smell of smoke was reported in the cockpit and the plane crashed into the ocean at the entrance to St. Margaret's Bay about 20 minutes later.
After word of the crash, a massive rescue effort was launched from the rescue coordination centre in Halifax, and from fishermen in the area who took to the sea to look for survivors.
In the end, all 229 people on board the aircraft died in the crash.
An investigation into the crash led investigators to believe that arcing from wires in an in-flight entertainment system was the cause of the fire that ultimately led to the crash.
The crash site was eight kilometres from the shore, near Peggy’s Cove. Nearby, a short walking trail leads to a monument in memory of the people who lost their lives at the Swissair Memorial Site.
