China Airlines Flight 825

China Airlines Flight 825 was a scheduled China Airlines passenger flight from Taipei's Songshan Airport to Kai Tak Airport, Hong Kong. On 20 November 1971, the Sud Aviation SE-210 operating this route disintegrated in midair over the Penghu islands, killing all 25 on board.

Events

On 20 November 1971, prior to the incident, the aircraft landed safely at Taipei as Flight 823 from Osaka, Japan via Naha and completed this flight without incident.

The aircraft then departed Taipei as China Airlines Flight 825 at 21:02 local time and was expected to arrive at Kai Tak Airport at 22:50. The captain was Wei Pu-hsiao and the first officer was Chü Chi-ping. There were 10 passengers on board other than the Taiwanese passengers: 3 Japanese, 3 Iranians, 2 Singaporeans, 1 Vietnamese, and 1 Brazilian, Lauro Muller Neto, Brazil's ambassador to Taiwan at the time.

Flight 825's last communication with ATC was made at 21:33 while at 26000 ft and contact was lost 17 minutes later at 21:50. The aircraft crashed into the Taiwan Strait, killing all 17 passengers and 8 crew members on board.

The Taiwan Garrison Command investigated the crash, which concluded that the in-flight break up was the result of a terrorist bomb explosion. The reasons for the bombing could not be determined.