Soviet Jets Down Korean Airliner in International Airspace

On September 1, 1983, Korean Air Lines flight KE007, a Boeing 747, took off from Anchorage bound for Seoul. However, just 10 minutes after departure, the aircraft deviated from its planned route and entered Soviet airspace near the Kamchatka Peninsula.

The Soviets scrambled two Su-15 fighter jets to intercept the intruder, but they were not equipped with missiles capable of hitting high-flying targets like the Boeing 747. The pilots tried to contact the crew by radio, but their warnings went unheard as the airliner continued on its course.

Major Gennadiy N. Osipovich finally managed to get close enough to fire two R-98 missiles at the 747, which damaged its hydraulics and control system. The plane suffered a complete decompression and began a spiral descent before crashing into the Sea of Japan off Moneron Island, killing all 269 occupants.

The incident sparked a major international outcry, with many accusing the Soviet Union of intentionally shooting down the airliner. However, the investigation that followed revealed a more complex situation, with some theories suggesting that the crew may have made a navigation error or even deliberately strayed into Soviet airspace to provoke a response from the Soviet air defense system.