Artur Korneyev's photo of the Elephant's Foot, 1996. The Elephant's Foot is the nickname given to a large mass of corium and other materials formed underneath the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, near Pripyat, during the Chernobyl disaster of April 1986, notable for its extreme radioactivity.

In 1988, a terrifying moment unfolded mid-flight when a Boeing 737 suffered a sudden tear in its upper fuselage, exposing the cabin to open sky. Despite the chaos, the pilot stayed calm and landed the damaged plane safely just 13 minutes later.

Tragically, one flight attendant was lost during the incident—the only fatality. Miraculously, all other passengers and crew survived, thanks to the strength of the aircraft and the quick thinking of the flight team.

The story was later retold in the TV movie Flight 243: Emergency Landing, highlighting the bravery of those onboard. It remains a powerful reminder of both the risks of flying—and the courage that can rise in the face of crisis.

Tracee Ellis Ross at 52 years old