April 1997 was the fourth month of that common year. The month, which began on a Tuesday, ended on a Wednesday after 30 days.
This is an archived version of Wikipedia's Current events Portal from April 1997.
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- Comet Hale–Bopp meets or exceeds most predictions when it passes perihelion.
- The popular television series (based on the video games of the same name), Pokémon premieres on TV Tokyo.
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- Fire breaks out in a pilgrim camp on the Plain of Mena, 7 miles (11 km) from Mecca; 343 die.
- Former S.S. Captain Erich Priebke is retried; on July 22 he is sentenced to 5 years in prison.
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- A Pegasus rocket carries the remains of 24 people into earth orbit, in the first space burial.
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- Haouch Khemisti massacre: 93 villagers are killed in Algeria.
- A 126-day hostage crisis at the residence of the Japanese ambassador in Lima, Peru, ends after government commandos storm and capture the building, rescuing 71 hostages. One hostage dies of a heart attack, 2 soldiers are killed by rebel fire, and all 14 Túpac Amaru rebels are slain.
- France supports the new transitional government in Zaire, withdrawing its support of Mobutu Sese Seko.
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- Andrew Cunanan murders Jeffrey Trail, beginning a murder spree that lasts until July and ends with the murder of fashion designer Gianni Versace.
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References
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to April 1997. |
