Historical eventJanuary 131985

Awash rail disaster

A passenger train plunges into a ravine in Ethiopia, killing 428 in the worst railroad disaster in Africa.

Everything on January 13Original source

In context

When
Sunday, January 13 198541 years ago
Category
Historical eventA dated happening — a battle, treaty, launch, discovery, disaster or decision — recorded on this calendar day.
Era
20th century · 1980s
Recorded from
Wikipedia “On this day” feed

At a glance

Dates: From 1985.

What came beforeAI-assisted

Ethiopia's Djibouti-Addis Ababa Railway, built by the French in the early 1900s, connected the port of Djibouti to the capital. By 1985, the line was aging and maintenance had deteriorated during Ethiopia's civil war and famine crisis.

Catalyst / how it startedAI-assisted

The train's brakes failed as it descended a steep grade near Awash station in the Rift Valley. The driver lost control on the downhill stretch, unable to slow the heavily loaded passenger cars.

Who was involvedAI-assisted

The Ethiopian Railway Authority operated the train. The disaster killed 428 passengers and crew, making it Africa's deadliest rail accident at the time.

TimelineAI-assisted

January 13, 1985: A passenger train traveling from Addis Ababa to Djibouti plunged into a ravine near Awash station, killing 428 people.

What happened

A passenger train plunges into a ravine in Ethiopia, killing 428 in the worst railroad disaster in Africa.

January 13 through the years

Other entries on the same calendar day, in order.

  1. 1985Awash rail disaster
  2. 2000Short 360
  3. 2000Steve Ballmer
  4. 2001January 2001 El Salvador earthquake
  5. 2003208996 Achlys
  6. 2004Uzbekistan Airways Flight 1154
  7. 2012Cruise ship
  8. 2012Costa Concordia
  9. 20182018 Hawaii false missile alert
  10. 2020Ministry of Public Health (Thailand)
  11. 2021President of the United States

Also in 1985

  • May 11Bradford City stadium fireFifty-six spectators die and more than 200 are injured in the Bradford City stadium fire.
  • September 11Moimenta-Alcafache train crashMoimenta-Alcafache train crash, the worst railway accident to occur in Portugal.
  • September 13Super Mario Bros.Super Mario Bros., one of the most influential and best-selling video games in history, was first released in Japan for the Nintendo Ente…
  • September 14Penang BridgePenang Bridge, the longest bridge in Malaysia, connecting the island of Penang to the mainland, opens to traffic.
  • September 17HIV/AIDSFour years after AIDS was first identified in the United States, Ronald Reagan publicly acknowledged AIDS (video featured) for the first…
  • July 13Live AidThe Live Aid benefit concert takes place in London and Philadelphia, as well as other venues such as Moscow and Sydney.
  • July 13Vice President of the United StatesVice President George H. W. Bush becomes the Acting President for the day when President Ronald Reagan undergoes surgery to remove polyps…
  • May 25BangladeshBangladesh is hit by a tropical cyclone and storm surge, which kills approximately 10,000 people.

Everything we record for 1985 →

Sources

Cite this page

“Awash rail disaster”, What's On This Date, https://whatsonthisdate.com/app/event/awash-rail-disaster-1985-january-13, accessed October 24, 2026.

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Questions about this entry

When did Awash rail disaster happen?

January 13 1985 — 41 years ago, on a Sunday.

Where does this text come from?

Wikipedia “On this day” feed. Summaries are short adaptations that link back to the source, not reprints. Panels marked AI-assisted were filled where the sources left a heading empty.

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