Municipality of Olgiate Olona
This website and the spirit that animates it arise from the desire to honor the memory of the plane crash of Olgiate Olona of June 26, 1959 and the seventy immortal lives whose mortal body fell to the ground that day; moreover, this website is intended to build bonds of solidarity with the persons linked by blood, love and friendship to the seventy immortal lives.
the memory of June 26, 1959
President of the Italian Republic Giorgio Napolitano (1925-2023) expressed on several occasions his appreciation for the commemorative events of June 26, 1959, that he rewarded with his medal in 2011. In 2019, President of the Italian Republic Sergio Mattarella sent a message of ideal participation to the ceremony of the 60th anniversary, and greeting to the relatives of the seventy immortal lives.
Persons, institutions and enterprises share the spirit of the commemorative events inspired to June 26, 1959 and support the commemoration in various ways.
Commemoration of June 26, 2025
Commemoration of June 26, 2025
Stay updated on the news and the events promoted in memory of June 26, 1959
Featured story - June 10, 2026
67th anniversary of the plane crash:
mass on June 21 and ceremony on June 26
In 2026, Olgiate Olona remember the 67th anniversary of the plane crash with two events. On Sunday June 21, at 9 a.m., in the ancient Prevostal Church of Saints Stephen and Lawrence, will take place the last of the twelve mass in suffrage celebrated every two months since 2024 after the 65th anniversary; the immortal lives born in June will be remembered: Mary Belknap, Ferrando Fratelli, Jacqueline Jaussen, Albert John Palmer, Ernest Rotter, Antonio Salbego, Emilio Sarchi.
On Friday June 26, at 5.33 p.m., ceremony in the Town Hall: international prayer in suffrage, commemorative speech of the Mayor, awarding of the most deserving works of the students in the eighth grade of Dante Alighieri school produced for the sixteenth edition of the educational project in memory of the plane crash; giving of certificates of thanks. Floral tributes will be placed at the memorial monument in Via 26 Giugno street and at the cemetery on Maria Fermi Sacchetti’s grave, at 5.33 p.m. the bell of the ancient Prevostal Church of Saints Stephen and Lawrence will ring.
Friday June 26, 1959. The town of Olgiate Olona was miraculously saved from a plane crash (the fifth worst disaster of civil Aviation in Italy) which shocked all the world: the Trans World Airlines (TWA) four-engine Lockheed L-1649A Starliner Jetstream (reg. No. N7313C) - flight 891: Athens-Rome-Milan-Paris-Chicago - just taken off from Milan-Malpensa Airport during a storm, was struck by lightning and crashed in flames losing the engines and the rudder; the fuselage with seventy people on board (they were from eight Countries: USA, Italy, United Kingdom, France, Chile, Germany, Egypt, Israel) crashed near Cascina Agnese missing the town for a few dozen of meters. All the people on board perished and the prompt intervention of rescuers was vain. The corpses were recovered on June 27, 1959, and the coffins were brought to the basilica of St. John the Baptist in Busto Arsizio where on June 29, 1959, the funerals were celebrated. The investigation of the Judiciary ended with the dismissal of the case, while the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) confirmed that the breaking up in flight was due to a lightning that ignited the fuel vapors contained in tank No. 7 coming out from the vent outlets.
The oral tale handed down by eyewitnesses became unlikely and turned into legend. In 2008 Alberto Colombo reconstructed the plane crash in his book Il disastro aereo del 26 giugno 1959 a Olgiate Olona (translation: the plane crash of Olgiate Olona of June 26, 1959) and the memory of the fact came back to life thanks to the initiatives promoted by the Municipal Administration: restoration of the memorial monument, Commemoration of 50th anniversary (2009) with naming of via 26 giugno street, commemorative stone, “Ape” car symbol of solidarity in memory of seventy immortal lives (in operation until January 2016), book Settanta vite immortali. Volume commemorativo 50° anniversario disastro aereo 26 giugno 1959 Olgiate Olona (translation: Seventy immortal lives. Volume commemorating the 50th anniversary of Olgiate Olona plane crash of June 26, 1959); educational project with the students in the eighth grade of Dante Alighieri school of Olgiate Olona started in 2010; in 2011, medal of the President of the Italian Republic Giorgio Napolitano (acknowledgment of the high value of the commemorative events of June 26, 1959) and stone in memory of the 118 victims of Milan-Linate air disaster; in 2013, publication of this website; in 2016, total conservative restoration of the memorial monument; in 2019, message of greeting to the relatives of the seventy immortal lives, and of ideal participation in the 60th anniversary sent by the President of the Italian Republic Sergio Mattarella.
Fatality struck seventy lives and tortured only their mortal bodies which fell to the ground: their spirits rose to immortality instead. For the seventy immortal lives of June 26, 1959 is worth what the Bible says: The souls of righteous are in the hands of God and no torment shall touch them anymore (Sap 3,1). The relatives of these righteous have silently and with dignity turned their great sorrow into a gift: for their loved ones, for new generations, for the community. We are not allowed to change the History already happened. What was done in Olgiate Olona so far and what still will be done is only the essential that we are allowed to do: pray, honor the immortal lives and their loved ones by remembering and with acts of solidarity.
Alberto Colombo
Messages received
January 19, 2026
Always thank you for the Memory that you keep alive and for involving your young people (...)
Claudia
December 19, 2025
Wishing the staff and town of Olgiate Olona a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Thank you for all that you do to keep the memories of 70 immortal souls (...)
John
December 19, 2025
Wishing all the website staff and all the people of Olgiate Olona a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy 2026!!! (...)
George
December 19, 2025
Happy Holidays! (...)
Angelo
December 19, 2025
A Merry Christmas to all of you who keep alive the memory of those who so tragically left us (...)
Silvana
June 26, 2025
Thinking of you today and feeling so grateful for all of you in Italy. Wish our family could be there. Love and hugs to all of you (...)
Judy
June 26, 2025
Thank you to all of you who have done so much for the families of the victims of the 1959 TWA disaster in Olgiate Olona. On this day of remembrance, I send you my warmest wishes from our entire family (...)
Angelo
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