Wednesday, September 7, 1689

Yak-Service Flight 9633, carrying the players and coaching staff of the ice hockey team Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, crashed on take-off near Yaroslavl, Russia, resulting in the deaths of 44 of the 45 people on board.

A Chinese fishing trawler operating in disputed waters collided with Japan Coast Guard patrol boats near the Senkaku Islands, sparking a major diplomatic dispute between the two countries.

Hurricane Ivan made landfall on Grenada, devastating at least 85 per cent of buildings on the island.

Three weeks after an earthquake struck northwestern Turkey, a second earthquake struck Athens, causing Greece and Turkey to initiate "earthquake diplomacy".

American rapper Tupac Shakur was fatally shot in Paradise, Nevada, dying six days later.

Desmond Tutu became the first black leader of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa.

An explosion on board a Maltese patrol boat that was disposing of illegal fireworks at sea off Gozo killed seven soldiers and policemen.

Second World War: The Luftwaffe changed their strategy in the Battle of Britain and began bombing London and other cities and towns.

The last thylacine died in captivity in Hobart Zoo, Australia.

World War I: The Supreme War Command was established to oversee the armed forces of all the Central Powers.

With Beijing occupied by foreign troops from the Eight-Nation Alliance, Qing China was forced to sign the Boxer Protocol, an unequal treaty that ended the Boxer Rebellion.

Pedro I declared the independence of Brazil from Portugal, establishing the Empire of Brazil (flag pictured).