What happened in 2002

327 entries recorded for 2002, listed by date. That was 24 years ago.

2002 at a glance

Years ago: 24 (as of 2026)
Century: 21st century
Decade: 2000s
Generation born: Generation Z
Entries here: 327
Breakdown: 179 births · 137 historical events · 11 deaths

January

January 1
Simon Adingra
Birth
Simon Adingra, Ivorian footballer
January 3
Israeli–Palestinian conflict
Historical event
Israeli–Palestinian conflict: Israeli forces seize the Palestinian freighter Karine A in the Red Sea, finding 50 tons of weapons.
January 3
Second Intifada
Historical event
Second Intifada: Israeli forces seized MV Karine A, which was carrying 50 tons of smuggled weapons on behalf of the Palestinian Authority.
January 3
Nico González (footballer, born 2002)
Birth
Nico González, Spanish footballer
January 4
Vladyslav Vanat
Birth
Vladyslav Vanat, Ukrainian footballer
January 8
George W. Bush
Historical event
President of the United States George W. Bush signs into law the No Child Left Behind Act.
January 11
Elly De La Cruz
Birth
Elly De La Cruz, Dominican baseball player
January 12
Eva Lys
Birth
Eva Lys, German tennis player
January 14
JJ Peterka
Birth
JJ Peterka, German ice hockey player
January 15
Tim Stützle
Birth
Tim Stützle, German ice hockey player
January 16
War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)
Historical event
War in Afghanistan: The UN Security Council unanimously establishes an arms embargo and the freezing of assets of Osama bin Laden, al-Qaeda, and the remaining members of the Taliban.
January 17
Mount Nyiragongo
Historical event
Mount Nyiragongo, a volcano in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, began an eruption that killed hundreds and left about 120,000 people homeless in the nearby town of Goma.
January 17
Samuel (singer)
Birth
Samuel, American singer based in South Korea.
January 18
Sierra Leone Civil War
Historical event
The Sierra Leone Civil War is declared over.
January 18
Ki-Jana Hoever
Birth
Ki-Jana Hoever, Dutch footballer
January 18
Anastasia Zakharova
Birth
Anastasia Zakharova, Russian tennis player
January 18
Karim Adeyemi
Birth
Karim Adeyemi, German footballer
January 20
Arnaud Kalimuendo
Birth
Arnaud Kalimuendo, French footballer
January 21
Moussa Diabaté
Birth
Moussa Diabaté, French basketball player
January 22
Caitlin Clark
Birth
Caitlin Clark, American basketball player
January 23
Daniel Pearl
Historical event
American journalist Daniel Pearl was kidnapped and later murdered by al-Qaeda agents in Karachi, Pakistan.
January 23
Joško Gvardiol
Birth
Joško Gvardiol, Croatian footballer
January 23
Nicola Zalewski
Birth
Nicola Zalewski, Polish footballer
January 25
Lil Mosey
Birth
Lil Mosey, American rapper
January 26
Darya Astakhova
Birth
Darya Astakhova, Russian tennis player
January 27
2002 Lagos armoury explosion
Historical event
An explosion at a military storage facility in Lagos, Nigeria, kills at least 1,100 people and displaces over 20,000 others.
January 28
TAME Flight 120
Historical event
TAME Flight 120, a Boeing 727-100, crashes in the Andes mountains in southern Colombia, killing 94.
January 28
Tabyana Ali
Birth
Tabyana Ali, American actress and author
January 28
Yoo Seon-ho
Birth
Yoo Seon-ho, South Korean actor
January 29
2002 State of the Union Address
Historical event
In his State of the Union address, President George W. Bush describes "regimes that sponsor terror" as an Axis of evil, in which he includes Iraq, Iran and North Korea.
January 30
Tyla
Birth
Tyla, South African singer and songwriter.
January 30
Bijan Robinson
Birth
Bijan Robinson, American football player
January 31
Hong Ye-ji
Birth
Hong Ye-ji, South Korean actress
January 31
Beñat Turrientes
Birth
Beñat Turrientes, Spanish footballer

February

February 1
Daniel Pearl
Historical event
Daniel Pearl, American journalist and South Asia Bureau Chief of The Wall Street Journal, kidnapped on January 23, is beheaded and mutilated by his captors.
February 1
Brian Brobbey
Birth
Brian Brobbey, Dutch footballer
February 1
Seth Jarvis
Birth
Seth Jarvis, Canadian ice hockey player
February 5
Jisung
Birth
Jisung, South Korean rapper
February 5
Taehyun (singer)
Birth
Taehyun, South Korean singer-songwriter
February 6
Ona Huczkowski
Birth
Ona Huczkowski, Finnish actress
February 7
Shedeur Sanders
Birth
Shedeur Sanders, American football player
February 9
Jalen Green
Birth
Jalen Green, American basketball player
February 11
Liam Lawson
Birth
Liam Lawson, New Zealand racing driver
February 12
Iran Airtour
Historical event
An Iran Airtour Tupolev Tu-154 crashes in the mountains outside Khorramabad, Iran while descending for a landing at Khorramabad Airport, killing 119.
February 12
Trial of Slobodan Milošević
Historical event
The trial of Slobodan Milošević, the former President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, begins at the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague, Netherlands. He dies four years later before its conclusion.
February 13
Sophia Lillis
Birth
Sophia Lillis, American actress
February 13
Jaden Ivey
Birth
Jaden Ivey, American basketball player
February 14
Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Birth
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, American football player
February 18
Manu Bhaker
Birth
Manu Bhaker, Indian sports shooter
February 19
NASA
Historical event
NASA's Mars Odyssey space probe begins to map the surface of Mars using its thermal emission imaging system.
February 20
2002 El Ayyat railway accident
Historical event
A cooking gas cylinder explodes on board an Egyptian National Railways train in El Ayyat, causing a fire and killing over 370 people.
February 20
Gavin Bazunu
Birth
Gavin Bazunu, Irish footballer
February 22
Angola
Historical event
Angolan political and rebel leader Jonas Savimbi is killed in a military ambush.
February 23
Ariane 4
Historical event
An Ariane 4 rocket is launched from the Guiana Space Centre carrying Intelsat 904.
February 23
Alice Litman
Birth
Alice Litman, English transgender woman
February 26
César Tárrega
Birth
César Tárrega, Spanish footballer
February 26
Gerard Martín (footballer)
Birth
Gerard Martín, Spanish footballer
February 27
Godhra train burning
Historical event
Godhra train burning: A Muslim mob torches a train returning from Ayodhya, killing 59 Hindu pilgrims.
February 27
2002 Gujarat violence
Historical event
Violent riots, perceived to have been instigated by a train fire that killed 59 Hindu pilgrims, broke out in the Indian state of Gujarat, killing at least 1,000 people, mostly Muslims, over three days.
February 27
Ryanair
Historical event
Ryanair Flight 296 catches fire at London Stansted Airport causing minor injuries.
February 27
Johnny Davis (basketball, born 2002)
Birth
Johnny Davis, American basketball player
February 28
2002 Gujarat violence
Historical event
During a period of religious violence in Gujarat, India, mobs of Hindus attacked Muslims in Naroda Patiya and in Chamanpura, resulting in 166 deaths.

March

March 1
Space Shuttle Columbia
Historical event
Space Shuttle Columbia is launched on STS-109 to service the Hubble Space Telescope.
March 1
Envisat
Historical event
The Envisat environmental satellite successfully launches aboard an Ariane 5 rocket to reach an orbit of 800 km (500 mi) above the Earth, which was the then-largest payload at 10.5 m long and with a diameter of 4.57 m.
March 1
War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)
Historical event
U.S. invasion of Afghanistan: Operation Anaconda begins in eastern Afghanistan.
March 2
War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)
Historical event
U.S. invasion of Afghanistan: Operation Anaconda begins, (ending on March 19 after killing 500 Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters, with 11 Western troop fatalities).
March 2
Brooks Barnhizer
Birth
Brooks Barnhizer, American basketball player
March 4
War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)
Historical event
Afghanistan: Seven American Special Operations Forces soldiers and 200 Al-Qaeda Fighters are killed as American forces attempt to infiltrate the Shah-i-Kot Valley on a low-flying helicopter reconnaissance mission.
March 4
Alexandra Kiroi-Bogatyreva
Birth
Alexandra Kiroi-Bogatyreva, Australian rhythmic gymnast
March 4
Jacob Hopkins
Birth
Jacob Hopkins, American actor
March 5
2002 Mindanao earthquake
Historical event
An earthquake in Mindanao, Philippines, kills 15 people and injures more than 100.
March 9
Usman Garuba
Birth
Usman Garuba, Spanish basketball player
March 10
Keon Johnson (basketball, born 2002)
Birth
Keon Johnson, American basketball player
March 13
Sutton Hoo
Historical event
The Sutton Hoo visitor centre, featuring Rick Kirby's sculpture Sutton Hoo Helmet (pictured in present location) was unveiled by Nobel laureate Seamus Heaney.
March 13
Frank Gore Jr.
Birth
Frank Gore Jr., American football player
March 16
Sofia Gubaidulina
Historical event
Sofia Gubaidulina's Johannes-Ostern was premiered in Hamburg, together with her Johannes-Passion, by soloists, choirs and orchestras from the Mariinsky Theatre and the NDR.
March 18
Brenden Rice
Birth
Brenden Rice, American football player
March 20
Jahmyr Gibbs
Birth
Jahmyr Gibbs, American football player
March 24
74th Academy Awards
Historical event
At the 74th Academy Awards, Halle Berry became the first African American to win Best Actress, winning for her role as Leticia Musgrove in Monster's Ball.
March 27
Nanterre massacre
Historical event
Nanterre massacre: In Nanterre, France, a gunman opens fire at the end of a town council meeting, resulting in the deaths of eight councilors; 19 other people are injured.
March 27
Second Intifada
Historical event
Second Intifada: A suicide bomber killed around 30 Israeli civilians and injured about 140 others in Netanya, triggering Operation Defensive Shield, a large-scale counter-terrorist military incursion into the West Bank.
March 27
Passover massacre
Historical event
Passover massacre: A Palestinian suicide bomber kills 29 people at a Passover seder in Netanya, Israel.
March 27
Daria Snigur
Birth
Daria Snigur, Ukrainian tennis player
March 29
Passover massacre
Historical event
In reaction to the Passover massacre two days prior, Israel launches Operation Defensive Shield against Palestinian militants, its largest military operation in the West Bank since the 1967 Six-Day War.
March 30
2002 Lyon synagogue attack
Historical event
The 2002 Lyon car attack takes place.
March 30
Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother
Historical event
Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, widow of King George VI and mother of Queen Elizabeth II, died at Royal Lodge aged 101.

April

April 2
Israel
Historical event
Israeli forces surround the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, into which armed Palestinians had retreated.
April 2
Second Intifada
Historical event
Second Intifada: Palestinian militants sought refuge from advancing Israeli forces in the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, beginning a month-long siege.
April 2
Emma Myers
Birth
Emma Myers, American actress
April 4
MPLA
Historical event
The MPLA government of Angola and UNITA rebels sign a peace treaty ending the Angolan Civil War.
April 5
Data breach
Historical event
In the first reported data breach, 250,000 social security numbers collected by the State of California were stolen from a data center.
April 6
Leyre Romero Gormaz
Birth
Leyre Romero Gormaz, Spanish tennis player
April 6
Andrea Botez
Birth
Andrea Botez, Canadian-American chess player, commentator, Twitch streamer and YouTuber
April 8
Space Shuttle Atlantis
Historical event
The Space Shuttle Atlantis is launched on mission STS-110, carrying the S0 truss to the International Space Station. Astronaut Jerry L. Ross also becomes the first person to fly on seven spaceflights.
April 8
Skai Jackson
Birth
Skai Jackson, American actress
April 8
Jamie Drysdale
Birth
Jamie Drysdale, Canadian ice hockey player
April 8
Viktória Forster
Birth
Viktória Forster, Slovak track and field athlete
April 11
2002 Venezuelan coup attempt
Historical event
In a coup attempt, members of the Venezuelan military detained President Hugo Chávez and demanded his resignation.
April 11
Ghriba synagogue bombing
Historical event
The Ghriba synagogue bombing by al-Qaeda kills 21 in Tunisia.
April 11
Jake Fraser-McGurk
Birth
Jake Fraser-McGurk, Australian cricketer
April 12
2002 Mahane Yehuda Market bombing
Historical event
A suicide bomber blows herself up at the entrance to Jerusalem's Mahane Yehuda Market, killing seven people and wounding 104.
April 13
Karl Hein (footballer)
Birth
Karl Hein, Estonian footballer
April 14
Venezuela
Historical event
Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez returns to office two days after being ousted and arrested by the country's military.
April 15
Air China Flight 129
Historical event
Air China Flight 129 crashed on approach to Gimhae International Airport in Busan, South Korea, killing 129 people.
April 16
Sadie Sink
Birth
Sadie Sink, American actress
April 18
Thor Heyerdahl
Death
Thor Heyerdahl, Norwegian ethnographer and explorer (born 1914)
April 19
Loren Gray
Birth
Loren Gray, American singer and internet personality
April 26
Erfurt school massacre
Historical event
An expelled student murdered sixteen people and wounded seven others before committing suicide at the Gutenberg-Gymnasium Erfurt in Erfurt, Germany.
April 27
Anthony Elanga
Birth
Anthony Elanga, Swedish footballer
April 30
Anna Cramling
Birth
Anna Cramling, Spanish-Swedish chess player
April 30
Teden Mengi
Birth
Teden Mengi, English footballer

May

May 1
Horncastle boar's head
Historical event
The Horncastle boar's head (pictured), which probably once formed part of the crest of an Anglo-Saxon helmet, was found.
May 1
Chet Holmgren
Birth
Chet Holmgren, American basketball player
May 4
EAS Airlines Flight 4226
Historical event
One hundred three people are killed and 51 are injured in a plane crash near Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano, Nigeria.
May 6
Pim Fortuyn
Historical event
Dutch politician Pim Fortuyn is assassinated following a radio interview at the Mediapark in Hilversum.
May 6
Cole Palmer
Birth
Cole Palmer, English footballer
May 6
Angel Reese
Birth
Angel Reese, American basketball player
May 7
China Northern Airlines Flight 6136
Historical event
A China Northern Airlines MD-82 plunges into the Yellow Sea, killing 112 people.
May 7
EgyptAir Flight 843
Historical event
An EgyptAir Boeing 737-500 crashes on approach to Tunis–Carthage International Airport, killing 14 people.
May 7
Andrew Barth Feldman
Birth
Andrew Barth Feldman, American actor and singer
May 7
Jake Bongiovi
Birth
Jake Bongiovi, American model and actor
May 9
Siege of the Church of the Nativity
Historical event
The 38-day stand-off in the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem comes to an end when the Palestinians inside agree to have 13 suspected terrorists among them deported to several different countries.
May 10
Robert Hanssen
Historical event
FBI agent Robert Hanssen is sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for selling United States secrets to Russia for $1.4 million in cash and diamonds.
May 10
Kaifi Azmi
Death
Kaifi Azmi, Indian poet and songwriter (born 1919)
May 10
Yves Robert
Death
Yves Robert, French actor, director, producer, and screenwriter (born 1920)
May 11
Bill Peet
Death
Bill Peet, American animator and screenwriter (born 1915)
May 11
Renaude Lapointe
Death
Renaude Lapointe, Canadian journalist and politician (born 1912)
May 12
Jimmy Carter
Historical event
Former US President Jimmy Carter arrives in Cuba for a five-day visit with Fidel Castro, becoming the first President of the United States, in or out of office, to visit the island since the Cuban Revolution.
May 13
Diego López (footballer, born May 2002)
Birth
Diego López, Spanish footballer
May 14
Zach Edey
Birth
Zach Edey, Canadian basketball player
May 15
Huddy (musician)
Birth
Chase Hudson, American internet celebrity, singer, actor
May 16
Ryan Gravenberch
Birth
Ryan Gravenberch, Dutch footballer
May 18
Alina Zagitova
Birth
Alina Zagitova, Russian figure skater
May 19
Rafa Marín
Birth
Rafa Marín, Spanish footballer
May 19
Riccardo Calafiori
Birth
Riccardo Calafiori, Italian footballer
May 20
Timor-Leste
Historical event
The independence of East Timor is recognized by Portugal, formally ending 23 years of Indonesian rule and three years of provisional UN administration (Portugal itself is the former colonizer of East Timor until 1976).
May 21
Elena Huelva
Birth
Elena Huelva, Spanish cancer activist and influencer (died 2023)
May 22
Federal Bureau of Prisons
Historical event
Police announced that the skeletal remains of Federal Bureau of Prisons intern Chandra Levy, who had been missing for a year, had been found in Rock Creek Park in Washington, D.C.
May 22
Civil rights movement
Historical event
Civil rights movement: A jury in Birmingham, Alabama, convicts former Ku Klux Klan member Bobby Frank Cherry of the 1963 murder of four girls in the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing.
May 22
Anthony Richardson (American football)
Birth
Anthony Richardson, American football player
May 23
Kyoto Protocol
Historical event
The "55 parties" clause of the Kyoto Protocol is reached after its ratification by Iceland.
May 24
Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty
Historical event
Russia and the United States sign the Moscow Treaty.
May 24
Saim Ayub
Birth
Saim Ayub, Pakistani cricketer
May 25
China Airlines Flight 611
Historical event
China Airlines Flight 611 disintegrates in mid-air and crashes into the Taiwan Strait, with the loss of all 225 people on board.
May 25
Cam Ward (American football)
Birth
Cam Ward, American football player
May 26
I-40 bridge disaster
Historical event
Barges being towed destroyed part of a bridge (aftermath pictured) near Webbers Falls, Oklahoma, causing vehicles to fall into the Robert S. Kerr Reservoir on the Arkansas River.
May 27
Jérémy Doku
Birth
Jérémy Doku, Belgian footballer
May 27
Gabri Veiga
Birth
Gabri Veiga, Spanish footballer
May 28
World Trade Center site
Historical event
The last steel girder is removed from the original World Trade Center site. Cleanup duties officially end with closing ceremonies at Ground Zero in Manhattan, New York City.
May 28
The Football Association
Historical event
An independent commission appointed by the Football Association voted two-to-one to allow Wimbledon F.C. to relocate from London to Milton Keynes.
May 29
Paul Skenes
Birth
Paul Skenes, American baseball player
May 30
Natty (Thai singer)
Birth
Natty, Thai singer based in South Korea

June

June 2
Madison Hu
Birth
Madison Hu, American actress
June 2
Fonua Pole
Birth
Fonua Pole, New Zealand rugby league player
June 3
Tyrell Sloan
Birth
Tyrell Sloan, Australian rugby league player
June 5
Space Shuttle Endeavour
Historical event
Space Shuttle Endeavour launches on STS-111, carrying the Expedition 5 crew to the International Space Station to replace the Expedition 4 crew. Astronaut Franklin Chang-Díaz becomes the second person to have flown on seven spaceflights.
June 5
Selwyn Cobbo
Birth
Selwyn Cobbo, Australian rugby league player
June 6
2002 Eastern Mediterranean event
Historical event
Eastern Mediterranean event. A near-Earth asteroid estimated at ten meters in diameter explodes over the Mediterranean Sea between Greece and Libya. The explosion is estimated to have a force of 26 kilotons, slightly more powerful than the Nagasaki atomic bomb.
June 7
Signe Hasso
Death
Signe Hasso, Swedish-American actress (born 1915)
June 10
Kevin Warwick
Historical event
The first direct electronic communication experiment between the nervous systems of two humans is carried out by Kevin Warwick in the United Kingdom.
June 11
Antonio Meucci
Historical event
Antonio Meucci is acknowledged as the first inventor of the telephone by the United States Congress.
June 12
Koni De Winter
Birth
Koni De Winter, Belgian footballer
June 13
Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty
Historical event
The United States withdraws from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty.
June 14
Near-Earth object
Historical event
Near-Earth asteroid 2002 MN misses the Earth by 75,000 miles (121,000 km), about one-third of the distance between the Earth and the Moon.
June 16
Padre Pio
Historical event
Padre Pio is canonized by the Roman Catholic Church.
June 16
Sam Walker (rugby league)
Birth
Sam Walker, English-Australian rugby league player
June 19
Nuno Mendes (footballer, born 2002)
Birth
Nuno Mendes, Portuguese footballer
June 19
Bennedict Mathurin
Birth
Bennedict Mathurin, Canadian basketball player
June 20
Erwin Chargaff
Death
Erwin Chargaff, Austrian-American biochemist and academic (born 1905)
June 20
Hugo Ekitike
Birth
Hugo Ekitike, French footballer
June 20
Tinus Osendarp
Death
Tinus Osendarp, Dutch runner (born 1916)
June 20
Giulia Stabile
Birth
Giulia Stabile, Spanish-Italian dancer and television presenter
June 22
2002 Bou'in-Zahra earthquake
Historical event
A magnitude-6.5 earthquake struck northwestern Iran, killing at least 230 people and injuring 1,300 others; the official response, perceived to be slow, later caused widespread public anger.
June 22
Moment magnitude scale
Historical event
An earthquake measuring 6.5 Mw strikes a region of northwestern Iran killing at least 261 people and injuring 1,300 others and eventually causing widespread public anger due to the slow official response.
June 24
Igandu train collision
Historical event
The Igandu train disaster in Tanzania kills 281, the worst train accident in African history.
June 25
Benson Boone
Birth
Benson Boone, American singer-songwriter
June 26
Manon Bannerman
Birth
Manon Bannerman, Swiss singer and dancer
June 26
Chandler Smith
Birth
Chandler Smith, American race car driver
June 27
Kelee Ringo
Birth
Kelee Ringo, American football player
June 28
Marta Kostyuk
Birth
Marta Kostyuk, Ukrainian tennis player
June 29
Battle of Yeonpyeong (2002)
Historical event
Naval clashes between South Korea and North Korea lead to the death of six South Korean sailors and sinking of a North Korean vessel.
June 29
Matt Rempe
Birth
Matt Rempe, Canadian ice hockey player

July

July 1
2002 Überlingen mid-air collision
Historical event
Bashkirian Airlines Flight 2937 and DHL Flight 611 collided in mid-air over Überlingen, Germany, killing all 71 people aboard both aircraft.
July 1
International Criminal Court
Historical event
The International Criminal Court is established to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression.
July 1
Tupolev Tu-154
Historical event
Bashkirian Airlines Flight 2937, a Tupolev Tu-154, and DHL Flight 611, a Boeing 757, collide in mid-air over Überlingen, southern Germany, killing all 71 on board both planes.
July 4
Boeing 707
Historical event
A Boeing 707 crashes near Bangui M'Poko International Airport in Bangui, Central African Republic, killing 28.
July 9
African Union
Historical event
The African Union is established in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, replacing the Organisation of African Unity (OAU). The organization's first chairman is Thabo Mbeki, President of South Africa.
July 10
Massacre of the Innocents (Rubens)
Historical event
The Massacre of the Innocents, a painting by Peter Paul Rubens, is sold at a Sotheby's auction for £49.5 million (US$76.2 million) to Lord Thomson.
July 10
Reece Walsh
Birth
Reece Walsh, Australian rugby league player
July 11
Amad Diallo
Birth
Amad Diallo, Ivorian footballer
July 12
Nico Williams
Birth
Nico Williams, Spanish footballer
July 13
Déborah Medrado
Birth
Deborah Medrado, Brazilian rhythmic gymnast
July 14
Jacques Chirac
Historical event
French president Jacques Chirac escapes an assassination attempt from Maxime Brunerie during a Bastille Day parade at Champs-Élysées.
July 15
Anti-Terrorism Court of Pakistan
Historical event
The Anti-Terrorism Court of Pakistan sentences British-born Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh to death, and three others suspected of murdering The Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl to life.
July 15
Taliban
Historical event
"American Taliban" John Walker Lindh pleads guilty to supplying aid to the enemy and possession of explosives during the commission of a felony.
July 17
Jordan Lawlar
Birth
Jordan Lawlar, American baseball player
July 18
Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer
Historical event
A Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer crashes near Estes Park, Colorado, killing both crew members.
July 22
Israel Defense Forces
Historical event
The Israel Defense Forces bombed the home of Salah Shehade, the leader of the military arm of Hamas, killing him, his family and neighboring civilians.
July 22
Konstanse Marie Alvær
Birth
Konstanse Marie Alvær, Norwegian politician
July 22
Count Felix of Monpezat
Birth
Prince Felix of Denmark
July 23
Séléna Janicijevic
Birth
Séléna Janicijevic, French tennis player
July 25
Equi Fernández
Birth
Equi Fernández, Argentine footballer
July 25
Adam Hložek
Birth
Adam Hložek, Czech footballer
July 25
Alperen Şengün
Birth
Alperen Şengün, Turkish basketball player
July 27
Sknyliv air show disaster
Historical event
Ukraine airshow disaster: A Sukhoi Su-27 fighter crashes during an air show at Lviv, Ukraine killing 77 and injuring more than 500 others, making it the deadliest air show disaster in history.
July 28
Coal mining
Historical event
Nine coal miners trapped in the flooded Quecreek Mine in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, are rescued after 77 hours underground.
July 28
Pulkovo Aviation Enterprise Flight 9560
Historical event
Pulkovo Aviation Enterprise Flight 9560 crashes after takeoff from Sheremetyevo International Airport in Moscow, Russia, killing 14 of the 16 people on board.
July 31
Hamas
Historical event
Hamas attackers detonated a bomb at the Mount Scopus campus of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, killing nine students and injuring about 100 more.
July 31
João Gomes (singer)
Birth
João Gomes, Brazilian singer
July 31
Will Penisini
Birth
Will Penisini, Australian-Tongan rugby league player

August

August 1
Alejandro Francés
Birth
Alejandro Francés, Spanish footballer
August 6
Nessa Barrett
Birth
Nessa Barrett, American singer-songwriter
August 11
Marvin Harrison Jr.
Birth
Marvin Harrison Jr., American football player
August 18
Bart Verbruggen
Birth
Bart Verbruggen, Dutch footballer
August 19
Second Chechen War
Historical event
Second Chechen War: A Russian Mil Mi-26 was brought down by Chechen separatists with a man-portable air-defense system near Khankala, killing 127 people in the deadliest helicopter crash in history.
August 19
2002 Khankala Mi-26 crash
Historical event
Khankala Mi-26 crash: A Russian Mil Mi-26 helicopter carrying troops is hit by a Chechen missile outside Grozny, killing 118 soldiers.
August 20
Saddam Hussein
Historical event
A group of Iraqis opposed to the regime of Saddam Hussein take over the Iraqi embassy in Berlin, Germany for five hours before releasing their hostages and surrendering.
August 21
Kenji Fan
Birth
Kenji Fan, Hong Kong model and actor
August 21
Zion Suzuki
Birth
Zion Suzuki, Japanese footballer
August 26
Lil Tecca
Birth
Lil Tecca, American rapper
August 30
Rico Linhas Aéreas Flight 4823
Historical event
Rico Linhas Aéreas Flight 4823 crashes on approach to Rio Branco International Airport, killing 23 of the 31 people on board.
August 30
Fábio Carvalho (footballer, born 2002)
Birth
Fábio Carvalho, Portuguese footballer
August 30
Drake Maye
Birth
Drake Maye, American football player
August 31
Typhoon Rusa
Historical event
Typhoon Rusa made landfall in Goheung as the most powerful typhoon to hit South Korea in 43 years, killing at least 236 people.

September

September 1
Illia Zabarnyi
Birth
Illia Zabarnyi, Ukrainian footballer
September 1
Diane Parry
Birth
Diane Parry, French tennis player
September 2
Bradley Barcola
Birth
Bradley Barcola, French footballer
September 4
Oakland Athletics
Historical event
The Oakland Athletics win their 20th consecutive game, an American League record, until the Cleveland Indians surpassed it in 2017.
September 6
Asher Angel
Birth
Asher Angel, American actor
September 6
Leylah Fernandez
Birth
Leylah Fernandez, Canadian tennis player
September 8
Gaten Matarazzo
Birth
Gaten Matarazzo, American actor and singer
September 10
Foreign relations of Switzerland
Historical event
Switzerland, traditionally a neutral country, becomes a full member of the United Nations.
September 14
Total Linhas Aéreas Flight 5561
Historical event
Total Linhas Aéreas Flight 5561 crashes near Paranapanema, Brazil, killing both pilots on board.
September 17
Elina Avanesyan
Birth
Elina Avanesyan, Russian-Armenian tennis player
September 18
Hugo Bueno (footballer, born 2002)
Birth
Hugo Bueno, Spanish footballer
September 23
Firefox
Historical event
The first version of the web browser Firefox was released by the Mozilla Organization.
September 24
Gaeul (singer)
Birth
Gaeul, South Korean singer, rapper, and dancer
September 26
MV Le Joola
Historical event
The overcrowded Senegalese ferry, MV Le Joola, capsizes off the coast of the Gambia killing more than 1,000.
September 27
Jenna Ortega
Birth
Jenna Ortega, American actress
September 30
Maddie Ziegler
Birth
Maddie Ziegler, American dancer and actress
September 30
Levi Miller
Birth
Levi Miller, Australian actor and model

October

October 1
Livvy Dunne
Birth
Livvy Dunne, American gymnast and social media personality
October 2
D.C. sniper attacks
Historical event
The Beltway sniper attacks begin in Washington, D.C., extending over three weeks and killing 10 people.
October 2
Jacob Sartorius
Birth
Jacob Sartorius, American social media personality and singer
October 6
Al-Qaeda
Historical event
Al-Qaeda bombed the oil tanker Limburg, causing oil to leak into the Gulf of Aden.
October 6
Jonathan Kuminga
Birth
Jonathan Kuminga, Congolese basketball player
October 7
Space Shuttle Atlantis
Historical event
The Space Shuttle Atlantis launches on STS-112 to continue assembly of the International Space Station.
October 7
Joaquín Panichelli
Birth
Joaquín Panichelli, Argentine footballer
October 8
Zheng Qinwen
Birth
Zheng Qinwen, Chinese tennis player
October 8
Brian Thomas Jr.
Birth
Brian Thomas Jr., American football player
October 9
Ben Shelton
Birth
Ben Shelton, American tennis player
October 10
Iraq War
Historical event
Iraq War: The United States Congress approves the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002.
October 10
Josh Giddey
Birth
Josh Giddey, Australian basketball player
October 11
Myyrmanni bombing
Historical event
A bomb exploded in the Myyrmanni shopping center in Helsinki, Finland (aftermath pictured), resulting in seven deaths and 159 injuries.
October 12
2002 Bali bombings
Historical event
Terrorists detonate bombs in two nightclubs in Kuta, Bali, Indonesia, killing 202 and wounding over 200.
October 12
Iris Apatow
Birth
Iris Apatow, American actress
October 16
Bibliotheca Alexandrina
Historical event
The Bibliotheca Alexandrina opens in Egypt, commemorating the ancient library of Alexandria.
October 17
Matthew Knies
Birth
Matthew Knies, American professional ice hockey player
October 17
Lily (singer, born 2002)
Birth
Lily, Australian-South Korean singer
October 20
Top Gear (2002 TV series)
Historical event
Top Gear, the revived popular British TV motoring magazine, premieres on BBC.
October 20
Yéremy Pino
Birth
Yéremy Pino, Spanish footballer
October 23
Second Chechen War
Historical event
Second Chechen War: Chechen separatist terrorists seize the House of Culture theater in Moscow and take approximately 700 theater-goers hostage.
October 23
Ningning
Birth
Ningning, Chinese singer
October 26
Moscow theater hostage crisis
Historical event
Approximately 50 Chechen terrorists and 150 hostages die when Russian special forces troops storm a theater building in Moscow, which had been occupied by the terrorists during a musical performance three days before.
October 26
Lee Eun-sang (singer)
Birth
Lee Eunsang, South Korean singer
October 29
2002 Ho Chi Minh City ITC fire
Historical event
A fire destroys a luxurious department store in Ho Chi Minh City, where 1,500 people are shopping. More than 60 people die and over 100 are unaccounted for in the deadliest peacetime disaster in Vietnam.
October 30
Warren Zevon
Historical event
After his terminal-cancer diagnosis, Warren Zevon made his last public appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman, giving the advice to "enjoy every sandwich".
October 31
Houston
Historical event
A federal grand jury in Houston, Texas indicts former Enron chief financial officer Andrew Fastow on 78 counts of wire fraud, money laundering, conspiracy and obstruction of justice related to the collapse of his ex-employer.
October 31
Ansu Fati
Birth
Ansu Fati

November

November 1
NLE Choppa
Birth
NLE Choppa, American rapper and YouTuber
November 3
2002 Marib airstrike
Historical event
A CIA drone strike kills six militants in Yemen, constituting the first targeted killing of the war on terror.
November 4
He Depu
Historical event
Chinese authorities arrest cyber-dissident He Depu for signing a pro-democracy letter to the 16th Communist Party Congress.
November 5
Matty Beniers
Birth
Matty Beniers, American ice hockey player
November 6
Jiang Lijun
Historical event
Jiang Lijun is detained by Chinese police for signing the Open Letter to the 16th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party.
November 6
Fokker 50
Historical event
A Fokker 50 crashes near Luxembourg Airport, killing 20 and injuring three.
November 8
Iraq disarmament crisis
Historical event
Iraq disarmament crisis: UN Security Council Resolution 1441: The United Nations Security Council unanimously approves a resolution on Iraq, forcing Saddam Hussein to disarm or face "serious consequences".
November 10
2002 Veterans Day weekend tornado outbreak
Historical event
Veteran's Day Weekend Tornado Outbreak: A tornado outbreak stretching from Northern Ohio to the Gulf Coast, one of the largest outbreaks recorded in November.
November 10
Eduardo Camavinga
Birth
Eduardo Camavinga, French footballer
November 11
Grigori Perelman
Historical event
Russian mathematician Grigori Perelman posts the first of three preprint texts with his proof of the Poincaré conjecture. It remains the only of the Millennium Prize Problems in mathematics to be solved. He later refused both the prize money from Clay Mathematics Institute as wel
November 11
Fokker F27 Friendship
Historical event
A Fokker F27 Friendship operating as Laoag International Airlines Flight 585 crashes into Manila Bay shortly after takeoff from Ninoy Aquino International Airport, killing 19 people.
November 12
Tino Livramento
Birth
Tino Livramento, English footballer
November 12
Paolo Banchero
Birth
Paolo Banchero, Italian-American basketball player
November 13
Iraq disarmament crisis
Historical event
Iraq disarmament crisis: Iraq agrees to the terms of the UN Security Council Resolution 1441.
November 13
Giovanni Reyna
Birth
Giovanni Reyna, American soccer player
November 13
Emma Raducanu
Birth
Emma Raducanu, British tennis player
November 15
Hu Jintao
Historical event
Hu Jintao becomes General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party and a new nine-member Politburo Standing Committee is inaugurated.
November 16
2002–2004 SARS outbreak
Historical event
The first case of SARS, a zoonotic respiratory coronavirus disease, was recorded in Guangdong, China.
November 18
Iraq disarmament crisis
Historical event
Iraq disarmament crisis: United Nations weapons inspectors led by Hans Blix arrive in Iraq.
November 18
Patrick Baldwin Jr.
Birth
Patrick Baldwin Jr., American basketball player
November 19
MV Prestige
Historical event
The Greek oil tanker Prestige split in two and sank off the coast of Galicia after spilling 420 thousand barrels (17.8 million US gallons) of oil, in the worst environmental disaster in Spanish and Portuguese history.
November 19
Oil tanker
Historical event
The Greek oil tanker Prestige splits in half and sinks off the coast of Galicia, releasing over 76,000 m3 (20 million US gal) of oil in the largest environmental disaster in Spanish and Portuguese history.
November 20
Madisyn Shipman
Birth
Madisyn Shipman, American actress
November 21
NATO
Historical event
NATO invites Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia to become members.
November 21
Arturo Guzmán Decena
Historical event
Arturo Guzmán Decena, founder of Los Zetas and high-member of the Gulf Cartel, is killed in a shoot-out with the Mexican Army and the police.
November 22
Owen Power
Birth
Owen Power, Canadian ice hockey player
November 22
Brandon Miller (basketball, born 2002)
Birth
Brandon Miller, American basketball player
November 23
Space Shuttle Endeavour
Historical event
Space Shuttle Endeavour launches on STS-113 to the International Space Station carrying the Expedition 6 crew and the P1 truss.
November 25
Pedri
Birth
Pedri, Spanish footballer
November 28
2002 Mombasa attacks
Historical event
Suicide bombers blow up an Israeli-owned hotel in Mombasa, Kenya; their colleagues fail in their attempt to bring down Arkia Israel Airlines Flight 582 with surface-to-air missiles.
November 29
Yunus Musah
Birth
Yunus Musah, American soccer player

December

December 3
Glenn Quinn
Death
Glenn Quinn, Irish-American actor (born 1970)
December 3
Adrienne Adams (illustrator)
Death
Adrienne Adams, American illustrator (born 1906)
December 4
María Dueñas (violinist)
Birth
María Dueñas, Spanish violinist and composer
December 7
Torri Huske
Birth
Torri Huske, American swimmer
December 8
Sunghoon (singer, born 2002)
Birth
Sunghoon, South Korean singer
December 13
2004 enlargement of the European Union
Historical event
European Union enlargement: The EU announces that Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia will become members on May 1, 2004.
December 13
Brock Bowers
Birth
Brock Bowers, American football player
December 13
Zal Yanovsky
Death
Zal Yanovsky, Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist who founded The Lovin' Spoonful (born 1944)
December 14
Francisco Conceição
Birth
Francisco Conceição, Portuguese footballer
December 17
Second Congo War
Historical event
Second Congo War: The Congolese parties of the Inter Congolese Dialogue sign a peace accord which makes provision for transitional governance and legislative and presidential elections within two years.
December 17
Castello Lukeba
Birth
Castello Lukeba, French footballer
December 18
2003 California gubernatorial recall election
Historical event
California gubernatorial recall: Then Governor of California Gray Davis announces that the state would face a record budget deficit of $35 billion, roughly double the figure reported during his reelection campaign one month earlier.
December 18
Syd Hartha
Birth
Syd Hartha, Filipino singer-songwriter
December 18
Giuliano Simeone
Birth
Giuliano Simeone, Argentine footballer
December 21
Clara Tauson
Birth
Clara Tauson, Danish tennis player
December 22
David Datro Fofana
Birth
David Datro Fofana, Ivorian footballer
December 23
General Atomics MQ-1 Predator
Historical event
A U.S. MQ-1 Predator is shot down by an Iraqi MiG-25 in the first combat engagement between a drone and conventional aircraft.
December 23
Finn Wolfhard
Birth
Finn Wolfhard, Canadian actor and musician
December 24
Joshua Primo
Birth
Joshua Primo, Canadian basketball player
December 24
Jeremiah Trotter Jr.
Birth
Jeremiah Trotter Jr., American football player
December 26
Josh Wilson-Esbrand
Birth
Josh Wilson-Esbrand, English footballer
December 27
2002 Grozny truck bombing
Historical event
Two truck bombs kill 72 and wound 200 at the pro-Moscow headquarters of the Chechen government in Grozny, Chechnya, Russia.
December 27
Human cloning
Historical event
The human-cloning company Clonaid claimed to have performed the first reproductive cloning of a human, but provided no evidence for the claim.
December 28
Tom Cannon (footballer)
Birth
Tom Cannon, British-Irish footballer
December 31
Joe Scally
Birth
Joe Scally, American soccer player
December 31
Sophia Laforteza
Birth
Sophia Laforteza, Filipino-American singer
December 31
Ryan Flamingo
Birth
Ryan Flamingo, Dutch footballer

Questions about 2002

What happened in 2002?

This site records 327 entries for 2002, including Simon Adingra on January 1. They are listed below by date.

How long ago was 2002?

24 years ago, counting from 2026. Anyone born in 2002 turns 24 this year.

Which century is 2002 in?

2002 falls in the 21st century, in the 2000s.

Which generation was born in 2002?

Generation Z (1997–2012). First generation raised with smartphones and social media.

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