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 - July 1st, 2025
Letter of thanks by Livraga mayor after the ceremony of the 66th anniversary
With a letter sent to Olgiate Olona mayor Giovanni Montano, Livraga mayor Giuseppe Ferrari thanks the people of Olgiate Olona the day after the ceremony of June 26, 2025, attended in the Town hall. On June 26, 2025, mayor Ferrari paid a visit to the memorial monument of the plane crash.
Letter of thanks by Livraga mayor
Commemoration of June 26, 2025 - 66th anniversary
June 27, 2025 - The ceremony held in the Town hall on June 26, 2025, was attended by Livraga mayor Giuseppe Ferrari, the relatives of the seventy immortal lives coming from United States of America and Italy, the representatives of the associations of Olgiate Olona, the students in the eighth grade authors of the deserving works produced in the fifteenth edition of the educational project in memory of June 26, 1959: awarded with a merit certificate, the authors of the second and third classified works received a book coupon sponsored by the relatives of Paolo Ciserani and by Nuova cimatura Vanzini of Olgiate Olona. The book edited by Alberto Colombo titled La memoria del 26 giugno 1959 perpetuata dai giovani olgiatesi. Il progetto didattico 2010-2025 e gli elaborati meritevoli premiati (trans. The memory of June 26, 1959, perpetuated by the young people of Olgiate Olona. The educational project 2010-2025 and the worthy awarded works) was presented. The book - which collects the literary and human heritage of high quality and profound value constituted by the 140 worthy works awarded in the first fifteen editions of the educational project - is dedicated to the memory of Thomas Billiani (1997-2011) who, before participating in the educational project, reached seventy immortal lives in the afterlife. The promoting staff of the commemorative events of June 26, 1959, awarded a certificate of thanks to Thomas’ mother.
Commemoration of June 26, 2025, documents and photo gallery
Fifteenth edition of the educational project: works awarded
Presentation of book edited by Alberto Colombo
After the 66th anniversary, seventh mass in suffrage for the seventy immortal lives
June 27, 2025 - The memory of the seventy immortal lives of the plane crash of Olgiate Olona continues with the prayer since 2024 and also after the 66th anniversary. On Saturday July 5, 2025, at 5.30 p.m. in the Prevostal church of Santi Stefano e Lorenzo of Olgiate Olona will be celebrated the seventh of the twelve masses of suffrage planned until June 2026; the immortal lives born in the month of July will be remembered: Achille Belloni, Anna Maria Adele Boaro Maga, Sophie Nafpliotou Doumouras, Corinne Drafz Martino, Anna Picha Korecky, Valerio Reggiani.
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
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
June 25, 2025
As always, all the Rey and Fuda descendants will be thinking of our ancestors and the people of Olgiate Olona tomorrow. We continue to appreciate the remembrances and memorial services that are undertaken on behalf of all the victims (...)
George
December 24, 2024
Wishing each of you a wonderful Christmas and Happy New Year! (...)
John
December 21, 2024
Merry Christmas to you all and to the people of Olgiate Olona. Thanks for your wonderful work! (...)
George
December 20, 2024
Merry Christmas to you all. May Peace and Joy illuminate your path (...)
Claudia and Annamaria
December 19, 2024
I take this opportunity to wish you all a very peaceful Christmas (...)
Silvana
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