One of the largest Italian football teams of the first half of the 20th century was undoubtedly her group Turinthe “Grande Torino”, of the 1940s. Despite the adverse conditions of football conditions, which prevailed in the loser and largely damaged by the war ItalyTurin not only managed to win five championships, but also to offer the spectacle unprecedented. However, her stunning course to winning more titles stopped suddenly and unhappy, when all the players and the team’s coaching staff were killed in air crash On May 4, 1949.
In early May 1949, the “Great Turin” team traveled to its Lisbon Portugalto give a friendly match against Benfica. The match was held in honor of the leader of the Portuguese team Francisco Ferreirawho decided to retire from active action. His desire was to face his friend in his last football match Valentineone of the top “decorations” of football history. The match took place on May 3rd and Benfica dominated 4-3.
The approach of Turin Airport needed special attention, as the city was surrounded by high mountains and hills.
On the morning of Wednesday, May 4th, Turin’s football players and coaches boarded the Avio Linee Italiane Fiat G.212 aircraft, first to Barcelona and then the city of Turin. Although it was May, In the capital of Piedmont there were weather conditions reminiscent of winter. Thick fog had covered the city, making virtually impossible visibility over 40 meters. The strong southwestern winds exacerbated the difficulty of approaching the city’s airport. Anyway, the approach of Turin Airport needed special attention, as the city is surrounded by high mountains and hills.
As he approached the city, the pilot of the aircraft lowered it lower, trusting the signs of the systems because of the almost minimal visibility. Believing that he was at an altitude of 2,000 meters, The pilot carried out a maneuver by turning leftlocated to the east of the city, to reach the airway from the North. The actual altitude in which the aircraft was flying was only 600 meters.
The aircraft hit the church mound at a speed of 180 km/h.
In the northeast of Turin is the Superga hillat the top of which is built a magnificent basilica. Inside the dazzling church there are many of the members of the Royal House of Savoy. The height of the hill reaches 672 meters.
After making maneuvering to the left, the aircraft carrying the Turin team crashed into the mound of the church at a speed of 180 km/h. None of the 31 occupants of the boat survived the collision. It was a great tragedy not only for the city of Turin but also for the whole of Italy, which was honestly boasted about the team’s course after the war. The main body of the Italian national team, after all, consisted of Turin players. At the funeral of the victims of the accident, which took place the next day at the city’s Cathedral, About 600,000 people gatheredwanting to give farewell to the players and the team’s coaching staff.
Column: Myrto Katsigera, Vassilis Minakakis, Antigoni-Despina Poumenidou, Athanasios Syroplakis
