Accident
On 20 November 1971, China Airlines Flight 825, a scheduled passenger service from Taipei's Songshan Airport to Kai Tak Airport in Hong Kong, disintegrated in midair over the Penghu islands. The aircraft, a Sud Aviation SE-210 Caravelle III, departed Taipei at 21:02 local time and was expected to arrive in Hong Kong at 22:50. The flight crew consisted of Captain Wei Pu-hsiao and First Officer Chü Chi-ping. The aircraft carried 17 passengers and 8 crew members, for a total of 25 occupants. The passenger manifest included individuals from Taiwan, Japan, Iran, Singapore, Vietnam, and Brazil, among whom was Lauro Muller Neto, Brazil's ambassador to Taiwan. The last communication with air traffic control occurred at 21:33 while the aircraft was at an altitude of 26,000 feet (7,900 m). Contact was lost 17 minutes later at 21:50. The aircraft crashed into the Taiwan Strait, resulting in the deaths of all on board.
Aircraft
The aircraft involved was a Sud Aviation SE-210 Caravelle III, built in March 1962. It was initially delivered to Swissair with registration HB-ICT. On 25 April 1962, while operating as Swissair Flight 142, the aircraft experienced problems with its nose landing gear en route from Geneva to Paris. Due to unsatisfactory maintenance and a lack of fuel, air traffic control diverted the flight to Zurich Airport. The aircraft landed at Zurich with the nose gear retracted, causing a fire to ignite underneath the cockpit. All 72 persons aboard evacuated safely. The aircraft was subsequently repaired and returned to service. On 12 January 1971, the aircraft was delivered to China Airlines.
Investigation and Cause
The Taiwan Garrison Command investigated the crash. The investigation concluded that the in-flight breakup was the result of a terrorist bomb explosion. The reasons for the bombing could not be determined.