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Today in History: Abu Nidal attacks Gulf Air Flight 771

By Drooid · Sep 23, 2026, 10:35 AM UTC · How we work

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Summary

Story summary

On 23 September 1983, a bomb placed by the Iraq-backed Abu Nidal Organization detonated in the baggage hold of Gulf Air Flight 771, a Boeing 737-200 en route from Karachi to Abu Dhabi. The aircraft crashed near Jebel Ali, killing all 105 passengers and seven crew members—112 fatalities, the UAE’s deadliest air disaster.

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Story summary

On 23 September 1983, a bomb placed by the Iraq-backed Abu Nidal Organization detonated in the baggage hold of Gulf Air Flight 771, a Boeing 737-200 en route from Karachi to Abu Dhabi. The aircraft crashed near Jebel Ali, killing all 105 passengers and seven crew members—112 fatalities, the UAE’s deadliest air disaster.