ČSA Flight 540
ČSA Flight 540 was a regularly scheduled international flight from Prague, Czechoslovakia to Tehran, Iran via Damascus, Syria and Baghdad, Iraq. On 20 August 1975, the flight, operated by an Ilyushin Il-62, crashed 17 km (11 mi) from Damascus International Airport while descending at night in clear weather, breaking up and catching fire on impact. 126 of the 128 passengers and crew died in the accident, making it Syria's worst air disaster and the worst air disaster for the airline. Following the crash, the Czechoslovak government sent their condolences to the victims and Damascus.
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