Tukuk-OS📅 April 17
17 events · 12 births · 12 deaths
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What happened on April 17? Below are the notable events chosen by Wikipedia’s editors for this date, followed by celebrated births, deaths and the observances recognised around the world.
Events
- 2014 — NASA announced the discovery of Kepler-186f, the first exoplanet with a radius similar to Earth's discovered in the habitable zone of another star.
- 2013 — An ammonium nitrate explosion occurred at a fertilizer company facility in West, Texas, U.S., killing 15 people and injuring 160 others.
- 2006 — A Palestinian suicide bomber detonated explosives in a restaurant in Tel Aviv, Israel, killing 11 people and injuring 70 others.
Palestinian suicide attacks2nd Rosh Ha'ir restaurant bombingTel Aviv
- 1986 — The Netherlands and the Isles of Scilly declared peace, having hypothetically been at war for 335 years without a single shot being fired and no casualties incurred.
- 1984 — Metropolitan Police officer Yvonne Fletcher was shot and killed while on duty during a protest outside the Libyan embassy in London, resulting in an 11-day police siege of the building and a breakdown of Libya–United Kingdom relations.
Metropolitan PoliceMurder of Yvonne FletcherLibya–United Kingdom relations
- 1975 — The Khmer Rouge captured Phnom Penh, the capital of the Khmer Republic, ending the Cambodian Civil War and establishing the socialist state of Democratic Kampuchea.
- 1973 — George Lucas began writing a 13-page film treatment that later formed the basis of Star Wars.
- 1969 — Czechoslovak Communist Party chairman Alexander Dubček was deposed.
- 1969 — Sirhan Sirhan was convicted of the assassination of U.S. senator Robert F. Kennedy.
Sirhan SirhanAssassination of Robert F. KennedyRobert F. Kennedy
- 1951 — The Peak District was designated the first national park in the United Kingdom.
- 1942 — World War II: Captured French general Henri Giraud escaped from German captivity in the Königstein Castle.
- 1907 — Minas Geraes (pictured), the first of three Brazilian dreadnought battleships, was laid down, sparking a vastly expensive South American naval arms race with Argentina and Chile.
- 1809 — Napoleonic Wars: After a three-day chase, the French ship D'Hautpoul was captured off Puerto Rico by a British squadron under Alexander Cochrane.
Napoleonic WarsFrench ship D'HautpoulTroude's expedition to the Caribbean
- 1797 — French Revolutionary Wars: British forces commanded by Lieutenant-General Ralph Abercromby invaded the Spanish colonial port of San Juan, Puerto Rico.
French Revolutionary WarsRalph AbercrombyBattle of San Juan (1797)
- 1783 — The Mechanical Turk (pictured), a fraudulent chess-playing "machine" by Wolfgang von Kempelen that was secretly controlled by a hidden human, began a tour of Europe.
- 1362 — Lithuanian Crusade: After a month-long siege, the Teutonic Order captured and destroyed Kaunas Castle, which was defended by troops of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.
- 1080 — Canute IV became King of Denmark upon the death of his brother Harald III.
Births
- 2005 — Antonio Nusa, Norwegian footballer
- 2001 — Shin Ryujin, South Korean rapper, singer and dancer
- 2001 — Violette Dorange, French Professional Round the World Sailor
- 1998 — Anna Odine Strøm, Norwegian ski jumper and two-time Olympic champion
- 1998 — Suppapong Udomkaewkanjana (Saint), Thai actor and singer
- 1996 — Lorna Fitzgerald, British actress
- 1996 — Caitlin Parker, Australian boxer
- 1996 — Helene Spilling, Norwegian dancer
- 1995 — Jung Wheein, South Korean singer
- 1994 — Alanna Goldie, Canadian fencer
- 1994 — Yang Hongseok, South Korean singer and actor
- 1992 — Lachlan Maranta, Australian rugby league footballer
Deaths
- 2022 — Radu Lupu, Romanian pianist (born 1945)
- 2019 — Alan García, Peruvian lawyer and politician, twice President of Peru (born 1949)
- 2019 — Gwen Marston, American quilter and writer (born 1936)
- 2018 — Barbara Bush, American political matriarch and literacy advocate, First Lady of the United States (1989–1993), and Second Lady of the United States (1981–1989) (born 1925)
Barbara BushFirst Lady of the United StatesSecond Lady or Second Gentleman of the United States
- 2018 — Carl Kasell, American radio personality (born 1934)
- 2016 — Chyna, American wrestler (born 1969)
- 2016 — Doris Roberts, American actress (born 1925)
- 2015 — Robert P. Griffin, American soldier, lawyer, and politician (born 1923)
- 2015 — Scotty Probasco, American businessman and philanthropist (born 1928)
- 2015 — Jeremiah J. Rodell, American general (born 1921)
- 2015 — A. Alfred Taubman, American businessman and philanthropist (born 1924)
- 2014 — Gabriel García Márquez, Colombian journalist and author, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1927)
Observances & holidays
- Christian feast day: Donnán of Eigg
- Christian feast day: Henry Heath
- Christian feast day: Kateri Tekakwitha (Canada)
- Christian feast day: Robert of Molesme
- Christian feast day: Shemon bar Sabbae
- Christian feast day: April 17 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
- Evacuation Day (Syria), celebrates the recognition of the independence of Syria from France in 1946.
- FAO Day (Iraq)
- Flag Day (American Samoa)
- Malbec World Day
- Women's Day (Gabon)
- World Hemophilia Day
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