This Week in History: Blizzards, hijackings and the loss of a princess

From power struggles to global crises, explore how major events between 22 and 28 December were captured on The Independent’s front pages

Retrospective: a week of turning points that shaped the world (The Independent)

Festivity may be in the air, but the headlines do not slow down for Christmas. The elements wreak havoc in the Shetland Islands as heavy snow leaves communities isolated, while across Asia the scale of a devastating tsunami begins to emerge. The fallout continues from the very public breakdown of the Prince and Princess of Wales’s marriage. Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, Hollywood mourns a princess of its own with the death of Carrie Fisher. Elsewhere, air travel takes a dangerous turn, from the Lockerbie bombing to the dramatic rescue of hostages after a hijacked jet is stormed in Marseille. Explore a dramatic week of news, as seen on The Independent’s front pages.

22 December 1988 – Lockerbie bombing

Wreckage lies scattered across Lockerbie after Pan Am Flight 103 breaks apart mid-air, killing all 259 people on board and 11 residents on the ground. The disaster prompts one of the largest criminal investigations of its time, which would later focus on a bomb placed in the aircraft’s hold and lead to years of diplomatic and legal disputes over responsibility.

(The Independent)

22 December 1989 – Uprising in Bucharest

Street fighting engulfs Bucharest as protests against Nicolae Ceausescu’s regime escalate, with security forces and troops opening fire on demonstrators and tanks moving through the city. At least 20 people are reported killed as the uprising marks a decisive turn in Romania’s anti-communist revolt, which would lead to the collapse of the regime days later.

(The Independent)

24 December 1991 – Gorbachev hands over power

It is Christmas Eve 1991, and The Independent details the final days of Mikhail Gorbachev’s leadership after the Soviet Union is effectively dissolved. He spends nearly eight hours in talks at the Kremlin with Russian leader Boris Yeltsin on the transfer of authority, including control of the nuclear arsenal, as responsibility passes to the leaders of the newly formed Commonwealth of Independent States.

(The Independent)

27 December 1994 – Marseille hijacking

Passengers are freed after French security forces storm an Air France jet hijacked at Marseille airport, ending a tense stand-off that began in Algiers days earlier. All 170 people on board are released alive as commandos kill the hijackers in a cockpit gun battle, bringing the crisis to a dramatic close.

(The Independent)

22 December 1995 – Prince of Wales rules out remarriage

Prince Charles sets out his future as monarch by announcing he will not remarry after his divorce from Princess Diana, seeking to draw a line under the breakdown of the marriage. The Independent reports that the Queen’s move to call for a divorce follows mounting royal tensions, including Diana’s refusal to spend Christmas at Sandringham.

(The Independent)

26 December 1995 – Pope falls ill during Christmas blessing

Pope John Paul II interrupts his traditional Christmas blessing from St Peter’s Square after appearing weak and feverish, cutting short the address to crowds gathered at the Vatican. “I’m sorry, but I can’t go on,” he tells his followers. The episode raises concern about the Pope’s health, though the Vatican later plays down fears and says he is resting after illness.

(The Independent)

27 December 1995 – State of emergency in Shetland Islands

A state of emergency is declared in the Shetland Islands as severe blizzards leave thousands without electricity and cut off roads and transport links. The storms are among the worst to hit the islands in years, with emergency services stretched as efforts continue to restore power and supplies.

(The Independent)

27 December 2004 – Tsunami devastates Asia

A powerful earthquake off the coast of Sumatra triggers a tsunami that devastates coastlines across the Indian Ocean, with early reports putting the death toll at around 12,300. The scale of the disaster later becomes clear as the number of victims rises dramatically, with more than 200,000 people eventually confirmed dead across multiple countries.

(The Independent)

28 December 2016 – Hollywood loses a princess

Actor and writer Carrie Fisher dies aged 60, days after falling ill on a transatlantic flight, prompting tributes from across the film industry and beyond. Best known for her role as Princess Leia in Star Wars, Fisher is also remembered for her candid writing on fame, addiction and mental health.

(The Independent)