236 notable events from 1981 — murders, air crashes and wars. Page 1 of 3.
- Marianne Bachmeier
Mar 6, 1981 · Murder & homicide
- Murder of Adam Walsh
Jul 27, 1981 · United States · Murder & homicide
- Attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan
Mar 30, 1981 · United States · Murder & homicide
- Attempted assassination of Pope John Paul II
May 13, 1981 · Holy See (Vatican City State) · Murder & homicide
- Dominick Napolitano
Aug 17, 1981 · Murder & homicide
- Mary Louise Day
Jul 15, 1981 · United States · Disappearance
- 1981 Spanish coup attempt
Feb 23, 1981–Feb 24, 1981 · Spain · War & armed conflict
- Hyatt Regency walkway collapse
Jul 17, 1981 · United States · Industrial & structural disaster
- Martial law in Poland
Dec 13, 1981–Jul 22, 1983 · Poland · War & armed conflict
- Thomas Silverstein
Jan 1, 1981–Jan 1, 1983 · United States · Murder & homicide
- Keddie murders
Apr 1981 · United States · Murder & homicide
- Wonderland murders
Jul 1, 1981 · United States · Murder & homicide
- Brabant killers
Dec 31, 1981–Nov 9, 1985 · Belgium · Crime & justice
- Assassination of Anwar Sadat
Oct 6, 1981 · Egypt · Shooting
- Al Indelicato
May 5, 1981 · Murder & homicide
- Ripper Crew
May 23, 1981–Oct 6, 1982 · United States · Murder & homicide
- Michael Swango
Jan 1, 1981–Jan 1, 1997 · Murder & homicide
- Murder of Marcia King
Apr 22, 1981 · United States · Murder & homicide
- Beagle conflict
1981–1984 · Argentina · War & armed conflict
- Operation Opera
Jun 7, 1981 · Iraq · War & armed conflict
- Auriol massacre
Jul 18, 1981 · France · Murder & homicide
- Roberto Succo
Jan 1, 1981–Jan 1, 1988 · Italy · Murder & homicide
- Lynching of Michael Donald
Mar 21, 1981 · United States · Genocide & ethnic violence
- Philip Giaccone
May 5, 1981 · Murder & homicide
- Laurie Bembenek
May 28, 1981 · United States · Murder & homicide
- El Mozote massacre
Dec 11, 1981 · El Salvador · Genocide & ethnic violence
- Penlee lifeboat disaster
Dec 19, 1981 · United Kingdom · Maritime disaster
- Far Eastern Air Transport Flight 103
Aug 22, 1981 · Taiwan · Aviation accident
- Burning of the Jaffna Public Library
Jun 1, 1981 · Sri Lanka · Attack (other)
- Hokutan Yūbari New Coal Mine gas outburst accident
Oct 16, 1981 · Japan · Accident
- Gulf of Sidra incident (1981)
Aug 19, 1981 · Libya · War & armed conflict
- 1981 Brixton riot
Apr 10, 1981–Apr 12, 1981 · United Kingdom · Riot & unrest
- Michael Bruce Ross
May 12, 1981–Jun 13, 1984 · United States · Attack (other)
- Dominick Trinchera
May 5, 1981 · Murder & homicide
- Murder of Dana Bradley
Dec 14, 1981 · Canada · Murder & homicide
- Aeroflot Flight 811
Aug 24, 1981 · Russian Federation · Aviation accident
- Fukagawa Street Murders
Jun 17, 1981 · Japan · Murder & homicide
- Killing of Renée Hartevelt
Jun 11, 1981 · France · Murder & homicide
- NLM CityHopper Flight 431
Oct 6, 1981 · Netherlands · Aviation accident
- 1981 Brink's robbery
Oct 20, 1981 · United States · Crime & justice
- Our Lady of Kibeho
Nov 28, 1981–Nov 28, 1989 · Rwanda · Genocide & ethnic violence
- Kireru 17-sai
Apr 2, 1981–Apr 1, 1987 · Japan
- Midori-sō incident
Jun 1981 · Japan · Murder & homicide
- Horace Van Vaultz
Jan 1, 1981–Jan 1, 1986 · United States · Murder & homicide
- Toa Payoh ritual murders
Jan 24, 1981 · Singapore · Murder & homicide
- Inex-Adria Aviopromet Flight 1308
Dec 1, 1981 · France · Aviation accident
- Multinational Force and Observers
Aug 3, 1981 · Italy · War & armed conflict
- Algiers Accords (1981)
Jan 19, 1981 · Algeria · Kidnapping & hostage
- Michael Bear Carson and Suzan Carson
Jan 1, 1981–Jan 1, 1983 · Murder & homicide
- Murder of Hukum Singh
Apr 17, 1981 · Murder & homicide
- Stardust fire
Feb 14, 1981 · Ireland · Fire
- Rickey Ray Rector
Jan 1, 1981 · Suicide & execution
- Kelly Keen coyote attack
1981 · United States · Attack (other)
- Killing of Danny Hansford
May 2, 1981 · Murder & homicide
- David Alan Gore
Jan 1, 1981–Jan 1, 1983 · United States · Murder & homicide
- 1981 Pushkin Tu-104 crash
Feb 7, 1981 · Russian Federation · Aviation accident
- Robert Anthony Buell
Jan 1, 1981–Jan 1, 1983 · Attack (other)
- Riocentro bombing
Apr 30, 1981 · Brazil · Crime & justice
- Operation Red Dog
Apr 27, 1981 · Dominica · War & armed conflict
- Almería murders
May 10, 1981–Jul 28, 1982 · Spain · Crime & justice
- Murder of Adam Walsh
Jul 27, 1981 · United States · Murder & homicide
- Terrorism in Egypt
Oct 6, 1981 · Egypt · Terrorism
- Crosswords murder
Jan 15, 1981 · Germany · Murder & homicide
- 1981 attempted assassination of Ali Khamenei
Jun 27, 1981 · Iran · Murder & homicide
- Death of Vishal Mehrotra
Jul 29, 1981 · United Kingdom · Murder & homicide
- Assassination of Ziaur Rahman
May 30, 1981 · Bangladesh · Murder & homicide
- H-3 airstrike
Apr 4, 1981 · Iraq · War & armed conflict
- Murder of Imette St. Guillen
Mar 2, 1981 · United States · Murder & homicide
- Pacification of Wujek
Dec 16, 1981 · Poland · Crime & justice
- Bihar train derailment
Jun 6, 1981 · India · Rail accident
- Disappearance of Katrice Lee
Nov 28, 1981 · Germany · Disappearance
- Posillipo murder mystery
Mar 31, 1981 · Italy · Murder & homicide
- New Cross house fire
Jan 18, 1981 · United Kingdom · Fire
- Aer Lingus Flight 164
May 2, 1981 · France · Aviation accident
- 1981 Iranian Prime Minister's office bombing
Aug 30, 1981 · Iran · Bombing & explosion
- 1981–1982 Iran massacres
Jun 20, 1981–Mar 21, 1982 · Iran · Massacre
- Robert Joseph Silveria Jr.
Jan 1, 1981–Jan 1, 1996 · United States · Murder & homicide
- 1981 Seychelles coup attempt
Nov 25, 1981 · Seychelles · War & armed conflict
- Murder of Karen Price
1981 · United Kingdom · Murder & homicide
- Murder of Tina Harmon
Oct 29, 1981 · United States · Murder & homicide
- 1981 protests in Kosovo
Apr 3, 1981 · Kosovo · Riot & unrest
- Omiya mother and daughter murder case
Apr 4, 1981 · Japan · Murder & homicide
- Mieczysław Zub
Jan 1, 1981–Jan 1, 1983 · Poland · Murder & homicide
- Philip Workman
Aug 5, 1981 · Attack (other)
- Arnfinn Nesset
Jan 1, 1981–Jan 1, 1983 · Norway · Murder & homicide
- Trans-en-Provence case
Jan 8, 1981 · France · Scandal & controversy
- Edward Dennis Isaac
Jan 1, 1981–Jan 1, 1982 · Murder & homicide
- Jon Dunkle
Jan 1, 1981–Jan 1, 1985 · Murder & homicide
- 1981 Major League Baseball strike
1981 · Canada · Scandal & controversy
- Kashiwa girl murder case
Jun 14, 1981 · Japan · Murder & homicide
- Murder of Lee Standifer
May 20, 1981 · United States · Murder & homicide
- Aerolíneas Argentinas Flight 342
Feb 20, 1981 · United States · Aviation accident
- Sobral Santos II
Sep 19, 1981 · Brazil · Maritime disaster
- Michael Morales (murderer)
Jan 8, 1981 · Murder & homicide
- Aeroflot Flight 3603
Nov 17, 1981 · Russian Federation · Aviation accident
- 1981 Armenia mid-air collision
Jul 18, 1981 · Armenia · Aviation accident
- Karaiskakis Stadium disaster
Feb 8, 1981 · Greece · Stampede & crowd crush
- Haft-e Tir bombing
Jun 28, 1981 · Iran · Terrorism
- Eastern Air Lines Flight 935
Sep 22, 1981 · United States · Aviation accident
- Jerry White (criminal)
Mar 8, 1981 · Murder & homicide