Summary of the Day ✨ 24 September (24/09)
NASA’s OSIRIS-REx capsule delivered precious asteroid samples back to Earth while India made history as the first Asian nation to reach Mars orbit on its initial attempt. Meanwhile, tragedy struck with a deadly Hajj stampede in Saudi Arabia claiming over 1,100 lives and a powerful earthquake in Pakistan killing hundreds, as world leaders gathered in Pittsburgh for the G20 summit.
Historical Events 📜
- 2023: NASA’s OSIRIS-REx capsule containing samples from the asteroid 101955 Bennu successfully lands back on Earth.
- 2015: At least 1,100 people are killed and another 934 wounded after a stampede during the Hajj in Saudi Arabia.
- 2014: The Mars Orbiter Mission makes India the first Asian nation to reach Mars orbit, and the first nation in the world to do so in its first attempt.
- 2013: A 7.7-magnitude earthquake strikes southern Pakistan, killing at least 327 people.
- 2009: The G20 summit begins in Pittsburgh with 30 global leaders in attendance.
- 2009: South African Airlink Flight 8911 crashes near Durban International Airport in Durban, South Africa, killing the captain and injuring the rest of the crew.
- 2008: Thabo Mbeki resigns as president of South Africa.
- 2007: Between 30,000 and 100,000 people take part in anti-government protests in Yangon, Burma, the largest in 20 years.
- 2005: Hurricane Rita makes landfall in the United States, devastating portions of southwestern Louisiana and extreme southeastern Texas.
- 1996: Representatives of 71 nations sign the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty at the United Nations.
- 1993: The Cambodian monarchy is restored, with Norodom Sihanouk as king.
- 1975: Southwest Face expedition members become the first persons to reach the summit of Mount Everest by any of its faces, instead of using a ridge route.
- 1973: Guinea-Bissau declares its independence from Portugal.
- 1972: Japan Airlines Flight 472 lands at Juhu Aerodrome instead of Santacruz Airport in Bombay, India, overrunning the runway resulting in 11 injuries.
- 1960: USS Enterprise, the world’s first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, is launched.
Famous Births 👶
- 2003: Joe Locke, Manx actor
- 2002: Gaeul, South Korean singer, rapper, and dancer
- 1998: Nikolas Cruz, American mass murderer
- 1997: Tosin Adarabioyo, English footballer
- 1993: Sonya Deville, American wrestler and mixed martial artist
- 1993: Ben Platt, American actor, singer, and songwriter
- 1991: Oriol Romeu, Spanish footballer
- 1990: Vontaze Burfict, American football player
- 1989: Pia Wurtzbach, Filipina actress, model, and beauty queen, Miss Universe 2015
- 1988: Karl Alzner, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1988: Steven Kampfer, American ice hockey player
- 1988: Kyle Sullivan, American actor
- 1987: Spencer Treat Clark, American actor
- 1987: Matthew Connolly, English footballer
- 1987: Grey Damon, American actor
Notable Deaths 🕊️
- 2025: Sara Jane Moore, American attempted assassin of Gerald Ford (born 1930)
- 2022: Pharoah Sanders, American jazz saxophonist (born 1940)
- 2020: Dean Jones, Australian cricketer, coach and commentator (born 1961)
- 2016: Mel Charles, Welsh footballer (born 1935)
- 2016: Bill Mollison, Australian researcher, author and biologist (born 1928)
- 2016: Bill Nunn, American actor (born 1953)
- 2016: Buckwheat Zydeco, American accordionist and bandleader (born 1947)
- 2015: Alan Moore, Australian painter and educator (born 1914)
- 2015: Wang Zhongshu, Chinese archaeologist and academic (born 1925)
- 2014: Deborah Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire, English aristocrat, socialite, and author (born 1920)
- 2014: Christopher Hogwood, English harpsichord player and conductor, founded the Academy of Ancient Music (born 1941)
- 2014: Madis Kõiv, Estonian physicist, philosopher, and author (born 1929)
- 2013: Paul Dietzel, American football player and coach (born 1924)
- 2013: Margaret Feilman, Australian architect and urban planner (born 1921)
- 2013: Boris Karvasarsky, Ukrainian-Russian psychiatrist and author (born 1931)
Holidays & Observances 🎉
- Armed Forces Day (Peru)
- Christian feast day:
Anathalon (in Brescia) - Christian feast day:
Antonio Gonzalez - Christian feast day:
Blessed Émilie Gamelin (Canada) - Christian feast day:
Gerard of Csanád - Christian feast day:
Our Lady of Mercy and its related observance:
La Mercè (Barcelona) - Christian feast day:
Our Lady of Ransom (Mercedarians) - Christian feast day:
Our Lady of Walsingham (Church of England) - Christian feast day:
Pacificus of San Severino - Christian feast day:
Rupert of Salzburg - Christian feast day:
September 24 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics). - Constitution Day (Cambodia)
- Heritage Day (South Africa)
- Independence Day, celebrates the independence of Guinea-Bissau from Portugal in 1973.
- Mahidol Day (Thailand)