The Real Ustica Mystery

On 27 June 1980 Itavia Flight IH870, a DC 9 on a scheduled flight from Bologna to Palerma, disappeared over the Tyrrhenian Sea. There were no survivors. With very little evidence available at the time the accident investigation could only conclude that an explosion, inside or outside the airliner, was the only possible reason for the disaster. Media and the public favoured the latter option, in practical terms meaning a missile fired against the DC-9. This was expressed as ‘The Ustica Mystery.