AIR CRASH INVESTIGATIONS - KOREAN AIR LINES FLIGHT 007 SHOT DOWN - ALL 269 PERSONS ON BOARD KILLED

On 31 August 1983 Korean Air Lines Flight 007 a Boeing 747 departed John F. Kennedy International Airport New York United States on a scheduled flight for Seoul Republic of Korea. The flight had 269 persons on board. Soon after departure from Anchorage Alaska KE 007 deviated to the right (north) of its direct track this deviation resulted in penetration of Sovjet Russian air space. Military aircraft operated by the USSR attempted to intercept KE 007 over Kamchatka Peninsula. The interception attempts were unsuccessful. Upon approaching Sakhalin Island USSR the flight was intercepted by USSR military aircraft and shot down on the assumption that is was a United States RC-135 (spy) aircraft. There were no survivors.