January 15 in history — What Happened Today in History
January 15 in history is full of turning points. This page walks you through what happened on January 15 in history, who was born on January 15 and who passed away on January 15, so nothing about this day slips past you.
On this page, January 15 in history is arranged as a timeline of major events in reverse order, with birthdays and deaths in their own sections, plus a short FAQ about January 15 in history at the bottom.
Major Events on January 15 in History 40
- 2023
Yeti Airlines Flight 691 crashes near Pokhara International Airport, killing all 72 people on board.
- 2022
The Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haʻapai volcano erupts, cutting off communications with Tonga and causing a tsunami across the Pacific.
- 2021
A 6.2-magnitude earthquake strikes Indonesia's Sulawesi island killing at least 105 and injuring 3,369 people.
- 2020
The Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare confirms the first case of COVID-19 in Japan.
- 2019
Somali militants attack the DusitD2 hotel in Nairobi, Kenya killing at least 21 people and injuring 19.
- 2019
Theresa May's UK government suffers the biggest government defeat in modern times, when 432 MPs voting against the proposed European Union withdrawal agreement, giving her opponents a majority of 230.
- 2018
British multinational construction and facilities management services company Carillion goes into liquidation – officially, "the largest ever trading liquidation in the UK".
- 2016
The Kenyan Army suffers its worst defeat ever in a battle with Al-Shabaab Islamic insurgents in El-Adde, Somalia. An estimated 150 Kenyan soldiers are killed in the battle.
- 2015
The Swiss National Bank abandons the cap on the Swiss franc's value relative to the euro, causing turmoil in international financial markets.
- 2013
A train carrying Egyptian Army recruits derails near Giza, Greater Cairo, killing 19 and injuring 120 others.
- 2009
US Airways Flight 1549 ditches safely in the Hudson River after the plane collides with birds less than two minutes after take-off. This becomes known as "The Miracle on the Hudson" as all 155 people on board were rescued.
- 2005
ESA's SMART-1 lunar orbiter discovers elements such as calcium, aluminum, silicon, iron, and other surface elements on the Moon.
All entries for January 15（+28）
- 2001
Wikipedia, a free wiki content encyclopedia, is launched (Wikipedia Day).
- 1991
The United Nations deadline for the withdrawal of Iraqi forces from occupied Kuwait expires, preparing the way for the start of Operation Desert Storm.
- 1991
Elizabeth II, in her capacity as Queen of Australia, signs letters patent allowing Australia to become the first Commonwealth realm to institute its own Victoria Cross in its honours system.
- 1981
Pope John Paul II receives a delegation from the Polish trade union Solidarity at the Vatican led by Lech Wałęsa.
- 1977
Linjeflyg Flight 618 crashes in Kälvesta near Stockholm Bromma Airport in Stockholm, Sweden, killing 22 people.
- 1976
Gerald Ford's would-be assassin, Sara Jane Moore, is sentenced to life in prison.
- 1975
The Alvor Agreement is signed, ending the Angolan War of Independence and giving Angola independence from Portugal.
- 1973
Vietnam War: Citing progress in peace negotiations, President Richard Nixon announces the suspension of offensive action in North Vietnam.
- 1970
Nigerian Civil War: Biafran rebels surrender following an unsuccessful 32-month fight for independence from Nigeria.
- 1970
Muammar Gaddafi is proclaimed premier of Libya.
- 1969
The Soviet Union launches Soyuz 5.
- 1967
The first Super Bowl is played in Los Angeles. The Green Bay Packers defeat the Kansas City Chiefs 35–10.
- 1966
The First Nigerian Republic, led by Abubakar Tafawa Balewa is overthrown in a military coup d'état.
- 1962
The Derveni papyrus, Europe's oldest surviving manuscript dating to 340 BC, is found in northern Greece.
- 1962
Netherlands New Guinea Conflict: Indonesian Navy fast patrol boat RI Macan Tutul commanded by Commodore Yos Sudarso sunk in Arafura Sea by the Dutch Navy.
- 1949
Chinese Civil War: The Communist forces take over Tianjin from the Nationalist government.
- 1947
The Black Dahlia murder: The dismembered corpse of Elizabeth Short is found in Los Angeles.
- 1943
World War II: The Soviet counter-offensive at Voronezh begins.
- 1943
The Pentagon is dedicated in Arlington County, Virginia.
- 1937
Spanish Civil War: Nationalists and Republicans both withdraw after suffering heavy losses, ending the Second Battle of the Corunna Road.
- 1936
The first building to be completely covered in glass, built for the Owens-Illinois Glass Company, is completed in Toledo, Ohio.
- 1934
The 8.0 Mw Nepal–Bihar earthquake strikes Nepal and Bihar with a maximum Mercalli intensity of XI (Extreme), killing an estimated 6,000–10,700 people.
- 1919
Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht, two of the most prominent communists in Germany, are clubbed and then shot to death by members of the Freikorps at the end of the Spartacist uprising.
- 1919
Great Molasses Flood: A wave of molasses released from an exploding storage tank sweeps through Boston, Massachusetts, killing 21 and injuring 150.
- 1911
Palestinian Arabic-language Falastin newspaper founded.
- 1910
Construction ends on the Buffalo Bill Dam in Wyoming, United States, which was the highest dam in the world at the time, at 99 m (325 ft).
- 1908
The Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority becomes the first Greek-letter organization founded and established by African American college women.
- 1892
James Naismith publishes the rules of basketball.
Famous Birthdays on January 15 in History 25
- 2004
Grace VanderWaal, American singer-songwriter
- 2002
Tim Stützle, German ice hockey player
- 2000
Triston Casas, American baseball player
- 1998
Alexandra Eade, Australian artistic gymnast
- 1998
Ben Godfrey, English footballer
- 1998
Chloe Kelly, English footballer
- 1996
Dove Cameron, American actress and singer
- 1996
Deebo Samuel, American football player
- 1994
Eric Dier, English footballer
- 1993
Kadeem Allen, American basketball player
- 1992
Joël Veltman, Dutch footballer
- 1992
Joshua King, Norwegian footballer
All entries for January 15（+13）
- 1991
Marc Bartra, Spanish footballer
- 1991
Matt Duffy, American baseball player
- 1991
Mitch Garver, American baseball player
- 1991
Nicolai Jørgensen, Danish footballer
- 1991
Darya Klishina, Russian long jumper
- 1991
James Mitchell, Australian basketball player
- 1990
Sidney Franklin, American actor and tap dancer
- 1990
Robert Trznadel, Polish footballer
- 1990
Slava Voynov, Russian ice hockey player
- 1990
Chris Warren, American actor
- 1989
Alexei Cherepanov, Russian ice hockey player (died 2008)
- 1989
Nicole Ross, American Olympic foil fencer
- 1989
Martin Dúbravka, Slovak footballer
Notable Deaths on January 15 in History 25
- 2025
Paul Danan, English actor and television personality (born 1978)
- 2025
David Lynch, American television and film director, visual artist and musician, complications from emphysema (born 1946)
- 2025
Melba Montgomery, American country music singer-songwriter (born 1938)
- 2025
Linda Nolan, Irish singer and actress (born 1959)
- 2022
Alexa McDonough, first female politician to lead a major provincial political party in Canada, former leader of the federal New Democratic Party. (born 1944)
- 2020
Rocky Johnson, Canadian professional wrestler (born 1944)
- 2020
Lloyd Cowan, British athlete and coach (born 1962)
- 2019
Carol Channing, American actress (born 1921)
- 2019
Ida Kleijnen, Dutch chef (born 1936)
- 2018
Dolores O'Riordan, Irish pop singer (born 1971)
- 2017
Jimmy Snuka, Fijian professional wrestler (born 1943)
- 2016
Francisco X. Alarcón, American poet and educator (born 1954)
All entries for January 15（+13）
- 2016
Ken Judge, Australian footballer and coach (born 1958)
- 2016
Manuel Velázquez, Spanish footballer (born 1943)
- 2015
Ervin Drake, American songwriter and composer (born 1919)
- 2015
Kim Fowley, American singer-songwriter, producer, and manager (born 1939)
- 2015
Ray Nagel, American football player and coach (born 1927)
- 2014
Curtis Bray, American football player and coach (born 1970)
- 2014
John Dobson, Chinese-American astronomer and author (born 1915)
- 2014
Roger Lloyd-Pack, English actor (born 1944)
- 2013
Nagisa Oshima, Japanese director and screenwriter (born 1932)
- 2013
John Thomas, American high jumper (born 1941)
- 2012
Ed Derwinski, American soldier and politician, first United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs (born 1926)
- 2012
Manuel Fraga Iribarne, Spanish lawyer and politician, third President of the Xunta of Galicia (born 1922)
- 2012
Carlo Fruttero, Italian journalist and author (born 1926)
That is the story of January 15 in history. Bookmark this page and come back next year on January 15 to relive these world-changing moments — or take a random trip through time and see what happened on another day in history.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What happened on January 15 in history?
The biggest event on January 15 in history is: 2023 — Yeti Airlines Flight 691 crashes near Pokhara International Airport, killing all 72 people on board.. In total, 40 major events are recorded for this day.
Who was born on January 15?
25 famous people were born on January 15 in history, the best known being 2004 — Grace VanderWaal, American singer-songwriter.
Who died on January 15?
25 notable people died on January 15 in history, including 2025 — Paul Danan, English actor and television personality (born 1978).
Why should I read about January 15 in history?
Exploring January 15 in history helps you grasp the day's place in history in just a few minutes: events, birthdays and deaths in one read — perfect for students, teachers and curious minds.
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