10 Most Tragic Events of 2024
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VOICE OVER: Peter DeGiglio
WRITTEN BY: Jordy McKen
In a year marked by unprecedented tragedy, we delve into the most devastating global events of 2024. From natural disasters and deadly accidents to ongoing conflicts, this countdown explores the moments that shook the world and left lasting scars on humanity. Our list includes the Spanish floods, Mozambique boat disaster, Voepass Flight 2283 crash, Crocus City Hall attack, and other heart-wrenching events that defined the year's most tragic moments. What do you think is the most tragic thing that happened in 2024? Let us know in the comments.
10 Most Tragic Moments Things in 2024
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re examining accidents, natural disasters, wars, and other devastating events that caused the most catastrophic loss throughout 2024 across the world.
The Spanish Floods
On October 29th, 2024, a cold drop caused a single day to provide a year’s worth of rain, primarily throughout eastern and south-eastern Spain. Areas like Andalusia, Castilla-La Mancha, and Valencian Community, especially the city of Valencia, were affected as flash flooding swept through, causing ravines and rivers to overflow. The devastation didn’t officially end until November 16th. During that time, over 200 people lost their lives, with four still missing. The impact also left behind an estimated $3.8 billion in damages to property, vehicles, and infrastructure. The Valencia citizens were angered at the lack of response and warning from the government and the Spanish Royal family, leading them to protest by throwing mud at them in anger.
The Mozambique Boat Disaster
On April 7th, 2024, Zico, the former fishing boat converted into a ferry, left Lungá in mainland Mozambique to travel to the Island of Mozambique. Most of the up to 150 passengers on the vessel were attempting to escape a cholera outbreak that had been spreading through the country since October 2023. However, shortly into the trip, the Zico sank. Over 100 people lost their lives, with over 20 people still missing. Only 12 survived the disaster. As for the cause of the tragedy, it’s unclear. Some reports stated the Zico was over-crowded, while others claimed the ferry took on water or believed a tidal wave was responsible.
Voepass Flight 2283
On August 9th, 2024, 58 passengers and 4 crew were aboard the Voepass Flight 2283. It was a domestic trip in Brazil, taking off from Cascavel Airport, and was meant to arrive at São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport. However, it never reached its destination. The aircraft crashed in a gated community in Vinhedo. While no one on the ground was injured, there were no survivors from the flight, making this the country's deadliest plane crash since 2007. An investigation by Brazil's Aeronautical Accidents Investigation and Prevention Center into the cause found that the pilots struggled to deal with ice buildup on the aircraft as the de-icing system failed, which caused it to go into a flat spin and crash.
The Crocus City Hall Attack
On March 22nd, 2024, the sold-out 7,300-capacity Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk, Moscow Oblast, Russia, was set to host a performance by the rock band Picnic. However, they never made it onto the stage. Shortly before their performance, a group of extremists broke into the venue and attacked the crowd. Using sharp weapons, firearms, and incendiary devices, the assailants affiliated with the extremist group, the Islamic State, took the lives of over 100 people and injured more than 500. Four suspects were arrested, all of whom pleaded guilty to charges. In the aftermath, immigrants within Russia reportedly experienced a rise in attacks from citizens as well as increased scrutiny by police forces.
The Varzaqan Helicopter Crash
On May 19th, 2024, five members of the Iranian government, including President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, got onto a helicopter from the Giz Galasi Dam to Tabriz. The group had been meeting with the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev. However, while it was over Varzaqan County, the aircraft crashed, causing the passengers and three crew to lose their lives. During the investigation, it was deemed heavy fog was responsible. On June 10th, another nation lost several government officials in an aircraft disaster. With passengers including Vice-President of Malawi Saulos Chilima and former First Lady Patricia Shanil Muluzi, poor weather conditions caused the plane to crash before it could reach Mzuzu Airport in Malawi, taking the lives of all onboard.
The Noto Earthquake
On January 1st, 2024, while most were celebrating the New Year, the Noto Peninsula of Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, was struck with an earthquake calculated to be 7.6 magnitude by the country’s Meteorological Agency. This sparked a series of tsunamis to hit the surrounding area, devastating communities. With an estimated $17.6 billion in damages, almost 500 people perished from the natural disaster, with two missing and over 1,000 injured. On January 2nd, Haneda Airport in Tokyo, Japan, was the site of a runway collision between a passenger jet and a Coast Guard plane set to take supplies to areas affected by the earthquake. While the Airbus escaped any fatalities, five aboard the relief aircraft perished, leaving only one survivor.
The Hajj Extreme Heat Disaster
From June 14th, 2024, to the 19th, around 1.8 million people from across the world took part in the Hajj, an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. However, extreme heat wreaked havoc in the area, going up as high as 125.2 Fahrenheit. On the 16th alone, dehydration and heat stroke affected upwards of 2,764 people. During the whole of Hajj, over 1,000 people lost their lives to the heat or factors related to it. Participants from Egypt and Indonesia were the most affected, with hundreds of fatalities. Due to the catastrophe, Tunisia fired its minister of religious affairs. While Egypt began legal proceedings against travel agencies that were deemed “fraudulent.”
The Bangladesh Quota Reform Movement
In 2018, the Quota system of Bangladesh Civil Service was abolished. Previously, a percentage of civil jobs had to be offered to different groups in the country, including minorities and descendants of freedom fighters. In June 2024, the country’s High Court reinstated the quota. This sparked a series of protests against the government, mostly by university students, from June 6th to August 3rd. During that time, the quota was scrapped. However, the protests often turned violent, leading to over 11,000 arrests. According to the country’s Ministry of Health, over 19,000 were injured, with more than 600 deaths, with some reports going as high as over 1,500. Following the movement, Bangladesh’s prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, resigned.
The Russia-Ukraine War Continues
After the war officially began in 2014, the event went to another level in February 2022 when Russia launched an invasion of Ukraine. Since then, at the time of making the video, the war has no end in sight. As for people who had been injured or lost their lives, reports vary widely. In October 2024, since the invasion began, the United Nations stated over 12,000 citizens had been killed in the conflict, with over 26,000 injured. In December 2024, Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, claimed that since February 2022, 43,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed, with 370,000 suffering injuries. He also added that Russia had lost 198,000 soldiers and had 550,000 injured.
The Israel–Hamas War Continues
After years of battles and tension, on October 7th, 2023, the Palestinian political group Hamas launched an attack against Israel. From here, war began as Israel laid siege to Gaza, causing the country to be accused of war crimes. To date, this war, too, has no end in sight, and the casualties reported also vary. According to OCHA, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, in December 2024, 90% of Gaza’s population, around 1.9 million, had been internally displaced. Over 44,500 Palestinians have lost their lives, with over 10,000 missing, while Israel has suffered over 1,200 fatalities. The war has also sparked a rise in hate crimes as Islamophobia and antisemitism cases across the world have soared.
Which events from 2024 will stick with you? Let us know below!
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re examining accidents, natural disasters, wars, and other devastating events that caused the most catastrophic loss throughout 2024 across the world.
The Spanish Floods
On October 29th, 2024, a cold drop caused a single day to provide a year’s worth of rain, primarily throughout eastern and south-eastern Spain. Areas like Andalusia, Castilla-La Mancha, and Valencian Community, especially the city of Valencia, were affected as flash flooding swept through, causing ravines and rivers to overflow. The devastation didn’t officially end until November 16th. During that time, over 200 people lost their lives, with four still missing. The impact also left behind an estimated $3.8 billion in damages to property, vehicles, and infrastructure. The Valencia citizens were angered at the lack of response and warning from the government and the Spanish Royal family, leading them to protest by throwing mud at them in anger.
The Mozambique Boat Disaster
On April 7th, 2024, Zico, the former fishing boat converted into a ferry, left Lungá in mainland Mozambique to travel to the Island of Mozambique. Most of the up to 150 passengers on the vessel were attempting to escape a cholera outbreak that had been spreading through the country since October 2023. However, shortly into the trip, the Zico sank. Over 100 people lost their lives, with over 20 people still missing. Only 12 survived the disaster. As for the cause of the tragedy, it’s unclear. Some reports stated the Zico was over-crowded, while others claimed the ferry took on water or believed a tidal wave was responsible.
Voepass Flight 2283
On August 9th, 2024, 58 passengers and 4 crew were aboard the Voepass Flight 2283. It was a domestic trip in Brazil, taking off from Cascavel Airport, and was meant to arrive at São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport. However, it never reached its destination. The aircraft crashed in a gated community in Vinhedo. While no one on the ground was injured, there were no survivors from the flight, making this the country's deadliest plane crash since 2007. An investigation by Brazil's Aeronautical Accidents Investigation and Prevention Center into the cause found that the pilots struggled to deal with ice buildup on the aircraft as the de-icing system failed, which caused it to go into a flat spin and crash.
The Crocus City Hall Attack
On March 22nd, 2024, the sold-out 7,300-capacity Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk, Moscow Oblast, Russia, was set to host a performance by the rock band Picnic. However, they never made it onto the stage. Shortly before their performance, a group of extremists broke into the venue and attacked the crowd. Using sharp weapons, firearms, and incendiary devices, the assailants affiliated with the extremist group, the Islamic State, took the lives of over 100 people and injured more than 500. Four suspects were arrested, all of whom pleaded guilty to charges. In the aftermath, immigrants within Russia reportedly experienced a rise in attacks from citizens as well as increased scrutiny by police forces.
The Varzaqan Helicopter Crash
On May 19th, 2024, five members of the Iranian government, including President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, got onto a helicopter from the Giz Galasi Dam to Tabriz. The group had been meeting with the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev. However, while it was over Varzaqan County, the aircraft crashed, causing the passengers and three crew to lose their lives. During the investigation, it was deemed heavy fog was responsible. On June 10th, another nation lost several government officials in an aircraft disaster. With passengers including Vice-President of Malawi Saulos Chilima and former First Lady Patricia Shanil Muluzi, poor weather conditions caused the plane to crash before it could reach Mzuzu Airport in Malawi, taking the lives of all onboard.
The Noto Earthquake
On January 1st, 2024, while most were celebrating the New Year, the Noto Peninsula of Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, was struck with an earthquake calculated to be 7.6 magnitude by the country’s Meteorological Agency. This sparked a series of tsunamis to hit the surrounding area, devastating communities. With an estimated $17.6 billion in damages, almost 500 people perished from the natural disaster, with two missing and over 1,000 injured. On January 2nd, Haneda Airport in Tokyo, Japan, was the site of a runway collision between a passenger jet and a Coast Guard plane set to take supplies to areas affected by the earthquake. While the Airbus escaped any fatalities, five aboard the relief aircraft perished, leaving only one survivor.
The Hajj Extreme Heat Disaster
From June 14th, 2024, to the 19th, around 1.8 million people from across the world took part in the Hajj, an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. However, extreme heat wreaked havoc in the area, going up as high as 125.2 Fahrenheit. On the 16th alone, dehydration and heat stroke affected upwards of 2,764 people. During the whole of Hajj, over 1,000 people lost their lives to the heat or factors related to it. Participants from Egypt and Indonesia were the most affected, with hundreds of fatalities. Due to the catastrophe, Tunisia fired its minister of religious affairs. While Egypt began legal proceedings against travel agencies that were deemed “fraudulent.”
The Bangladesh Quota Reform Movement
In 2018, the Quota system of Bangladesh Civil Service was abolished. Previously, a percentage of civil jobs had to be offered to different groups in the country, including minorities and descendants of freedom fighters. In June 2024, the country’s High Court reinstated the quota. This sparked a series of protests against the government, mostly by university students, from June 6th to August 3rd. During that time, the quota was scrapped. However, the protests often turned violent, leading to over 11,000 arrests. According to the country’s Ministry of Health, over 19,000 were injured, with more than 600 deaths, with some reports going as high as over 1,500. Following the movement, Bangladesh’s prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, resigned.
The Russia-Ukraine War Continues
After the war officially began in 2014, the event went to another level in February 2022 when Russia launched an invasion of Ukraine. Since then, at the time of making the video, the war has no end in sight. As for people who had been injured or lost their lives, reports vary widely. In October 2024, since the invasion began, the United Nations stated over 12,000 citizens had been killed in the conflict, with over 26,000 injured. In December 2024, Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, claimed that since February 2022, 43,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed, with 370,000 suffering injuries. He also added that Russia had lost 198,000 soldiers and had 550,000 injured.
The Israel–Hamas War Continues
After years of battles and tension, on October 7th, 2023, the Palestinian political group Hamas launched an attack against Israel. From here, war began as Israel laid siege to Gaza, causing the country to be accused of war crimes. To date, this war, too, has no end in sight, and the casualties reported also vary. According to OCHA, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, in December 2024, 90% of Gaza’s population, around 1.9 million, had been internally displaced. Over 44,500 Palestinians have lost their lives, with over 10,000 missing, while Israel has suffered over 1,200 fatalities. The war has also sparked a rise in hate crimes as Islamophobia and antisemitism cases across the world have soared.
Which events from 2024 will stick with you? Let us know below!
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