Feb 21 • 06:15 UTC 🇮🇹 Italy Il Giornale

The National Swimming Team, the Malfunction, the Illness: “Thus Trampled Corpses”

The article reflects on the tragic history of the Lufthansa Flight 005 crash in 1966, drawing parallels with the Superga tragedy involving the Grande Torino football team.

The article revisits the tragic Lufthansa Flight 005 disaster of January 1966, which resulted in the death of many top athletes, likening it to the Superga tragedy where the entire Grande Torino football team lost their lives in a crash. It features insights from swimmer Daniela Beneck, who recalls the incident while emphasizing the legacy of these athletes as true champions. As the 2026 anniversary approaches, Bereck aims to honor their memory and draw attention to the resilience of those lost.

On January 28, 1966, Lufthansa Flight 005, operated by a Convair CV-440, took off later than scheduled from Frankfurt, with its final destination being Hamburg, although it was scheduled to make a stop in Bremen. Critical details about the aircraft’s maintenance and the lack of a flight data recorder underscore the perilous nature of the flight. Beneck highlights the need to remember these athletes and their contributions to sports, framing their legacy in relation to broader national tragedies.

Ultimately, the article serves not just as a historical reflection but also as a poignant reminder of how the legacies of these athletes—much like those lost in the Superga crash—should be preserved. They represent a significant part of Italian sports history, engaging both the memories of national pride and the somber realities of mourning lost heroes.

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