KAL 007 Shot Down

Setting the scene

Korean Air Lines Flight 007 was shot down on September 1, 1983, by a Soviet Su-15 interceptor after straying into Soviet airspace over Sakhalin Island. The Boeing 747, flying from New York to Seoul via Anchorage, had deviated from its course due to navigation error, entering prohibited Soviet airspace during a sensitive military operation.

What happened

The Soviets, believing it was a spy plane, fired two missiles at 6:26 a.m. local time. All 269 people aboard died, including U.S. Congressman Larry McDonald. The Soviets initially denied knowledge, then claimed it was espionage. President Reagan called it a 'massacre' and used it to denounce the 'evil empire.'

Why it still matters

The shootdown increased Cold War tensions and led the U.S. to make GPS available for civilian use to prevent navigation errors. It demonstrated the dangers of Cold War paranoia and the risk of accidental war. September 1, 1983, was one of the tensest moments of the Cold War, occurring just weeks before the Able Archer 83 NATO exercise that nearly triggered nuclear war.

Background

Cold War rhetoric spiked.