Air tragedies: Top teams hit by disaster
- By Xiang Bin
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China.org.cn, September 8, 2011
Russia and the world of ice hockey are mourning the deaths of at least 43 players and officials after a passenger jet carrying KHL hockey team Lokomotiv crashed Wednesday in western Russia. World ice hockey chief Rene Fasel described the crash as “the darkest day in the history of our sport.”
Increased air travel to and from events over the years has seen air accidents claim the lives of a number of legendary sports figures, including Knute Rockne, Rocky Marciano, Payne Stewart, Graham Hill and Thurman Munson, among others.
The following is a list of some of the most notable air tragedies involving sports teams over the years:
1. Superga air disaster-May 4, 1949
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Site of Superga air disaster. [File photo] |
![Site of Superga air disaster. [File photo]](http://images.china.cn/attachement/bmp/site1007/20110908/000cf1bdd2450fd2ae8c08.bmp "Site of Superga air disaster. [File photo]")
The disaster occurred when a plane carrying almost the entire Torino A.C. football squad, popularly known as Il Grande Torino, crashed into Superga Hill near Turin killing all 31 passengers, including 18 players, club officials, journalists accompanying the team, and the plane's crew.
The crash had a profound emotional impact on Italian sports fans. This was largely because it wiped out the legendary team which won the last Serie A title before the league was interrupted in 1944 by World War II. The same team returned to league competition after the cessation of hostilities to win four consecutive titles (1946–1949).
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