This day in history

The funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales takes place at Westminster Abbey in London. She is then laid to rest at her family’s estate in Althorp.

The Soviet Union recognises the independent Baltic republics of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

Soviet pilot Lieutenant Viktor Belenko flies his MIG fighter jet to Japan and asks for asylum in the United States.

The Palestinian militant group, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, hijacks four airplanes all on their way to New York, America. 

South African Prime Minister Hendrik Verwoerd is assassinated in the Parliament in Cape Town by Dimtric Tsafondas.

The start of a 17 day war between India and Pakistan when Indian troops invade West Pakistan.

Juliana is crowned Queen of the Netherlands.

The British Army tests its latest military development for the first time – a tank.