Ustica
Introduction
Hello everyone! Today I want to talk to you about the Ustica massacre, an airplane accident that shook Italy in 1980.
The Dynamics of the Incident
The airplane accident, which occurred in the southern Tyrrhenian Sea, involved Itavia flight IH870, departing from Bologna-Borgo Panigale airport and headed to Palermo-Punta Raisi airport. Unfortunately, all occupants of the flight, including 81 passengers and crew, died in the accident.
The Causes of the Massacre
Several aspects of the incident have yet to be clarified and there are various hypotheses about the causes of the disaster. One of these, accepted in criminal and compensatory proceedings, concerns international involvement with France, Libya, and the United States, with the DC-9 allegedly finding itself in the line of fire of an air combat, ultimately being mistakenly targeted by a missile. However, there are also other hypotheses that speak of structural failure or terrorism, but these have been ruled out by the facts that emerged from the investigations.
Francesco Cossiga's Statement
In February 2007, the Emeritus President of the Italian Republic Francesco Cossiga attributed the unintentional responsibility for the shooting down to a French missile launched by an aircraft from the Clemenceau aircraft carrier (today it is supposed to be the Foch). It was also revealed that it was the Italian Secret Services that informed Cossiga and the Minister of the Interior of the incident.
Conclusions
In conclusion, the Ustica massacre was a tragedy that left the country without answers for decades. We hope that in the future we will be able to arrive at the truth and bring justice for the victims and their families.
