Indonesian Navy
The Indonesian Navy submarine Nanggala imploded and sank in the Bali Sea, resulting in the deaths of all 53 people on board.
What happened on April 21
36 events · 20 births · 20 deaths · 8 observances. From 753 BCE to 2025.
Standout on April 21
2012
Amsterdam Westerpark train collision
Two trains are involved in a head-on collision near Sloterdijk, Amsterdam, in the Netherlands, killing one person and injuring 116 others.
About April 21
April 21 is the 111th day of the year. These facts are computed from the calendar, not copied from anywhere.
- Day of the year
- Day 111 of 365 (112 in leap years)254 days left in the year (254 in leap years)
- Falls on
- Tuesday in 2026, Wednesday in 2027, Friday in 2028, Saturday in 2029, Sunday in 2030
- Week
- ISO week 17 of 2026 · Q2
- Zodiac sign
- ♉ Taurus (April 20 – May 20)Cusp date — the exact boundary shifts by a day in some years.
- Season
- Spring in the north · Autumn in the south
- April birthstone
- Diamondstrength, eternity and clarity
- April birth flower
- Daisy / Sweet peainnocence and blissful pleasure
- Next occurrence
- In 176 days
- Roman numerals
- XXI.IVday.month — see the Roman numeral date tool
Anniversaries in 2026
- 500thIbrahim Khan Lodi1526
- 60thRastafari1966
- 30thArianne Hartono1996
- 30thJokela rail accident1996
- 10thPrince (musician)2016
- 5thIndonesian Navy2021
- 1stPope Francis2025
April 21 through the years
- 10 years ago2016
- Prince (musician)
- 25 years ago2001
- Nothing recorded
- 50 years ago1976
- Nothing recorded
- 100 years ago1926
- Nothing recorded
- 200 years ago1826
- Nothing recorded
Born on April 21 — ages this year
- 2008Hyeinturns 18
- 2007Princess Isabella of Denmarkturns 19
- 2003Xavi Simonsturns 23
- 1999Choi Hyun-sukturns 27
- 1998Jarrett Allenturns 28
- 1997Mikel Oyarzabalturns 29
Historical events 36
A dated happening — a battle, treaty, launch, discovery, disaster or decision — recorded on this calendar day.
2019 Sri Lanka Easter bombings
Eight bombs explode at churches, hotels, and other locations in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday, killing at least 269.
Flint, Michigan
The city of Flint, Michigan, U.S., changed its water source to the Flint River, which exposed residents to lead poisoning.a
Amsterdam Westerpark train collision
Two trains are involved in a head-on collision near Sloterdijk, Amsterdam, in the Netherlands, killing one person and injuring 116 others.
Kharkiv Pact
Ukraine and Russia signed the Kharkiv Pact, extending the Russian lease on naval facilities in Crimea.
2004 Basra police station bombings
Five suicide car bombers target police stations in and around Basra, killing 74 people and wounding 160.
Jokela rail accident
Four people are killed and 75 are injured in a train accident in Jokela, Finland.
La Paz
The Supreme Court in La Paz, Bolivia, sentences former dictator Luis García Meza to 30 years in jail without parole for murder, theft, fraud and violating the constitution.
1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre
Tiananmen Square protests of 1989: In Beijing, around 100,000 students gather in Tiananmen Square to commemorate Chinese reform leader Hu Yaobang.
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
The Tamil Tigers are blamed for a car bomb that detonates in the Sri Lankan capital city of Colombo, killing 106 people.
The Covenant, the Sword, and the Arm of the Lord
The compound of the militant group The Covenant, The Sword, and the Arm of the Lord surrenders to federal authorities in Arkansas after a two-day government siege.
Baseball
Baseball: Rollie Fingers of the Milwaukee Brewers becomes the first pitcher to record 300 saves.
Annie (musical)
Annie opens on Broadway.
Vietnam War
Vietnam War: President of South Vietnam Nguyễn Văn Thiệu flees Saigon, as Xuân Lộc, the last South Vietnamese outpost blocking a direct North Vietnamese assault on Saigon, falls.
South Vietnam
South Vietnamese president Nguyễn Văn Thiệu resigned on hearing of the fall of Xuân Lộc, the last battle of the Vietnam War.
John Young (astronaut)
Astronauts John Young and Charles Duke fly Apollo 16's Apollo Lunar Module to the Moon's surface, the fifth NASA Apollo Program crewed lunar landing.
Western Australia
In response to a dispute over wheat production quotas, Leonard Casley declared his 75 km2 (29 sq mi) farm in Western Australia to be an independent country as the Hutt River Province.
1967 Belvidere tornado
A violent tornado strikes multiple schools and destroys houses in Belvidere, Illinois, United States, causing over 450 casualties.
Tornado outbreak of April 21, 1967
A tornado outbreak in Illinois, United States, kills over 50 and injures over 1,000. Belvidere sustains over 500 casualties as a violent tornado strikes the high school. Another tornado near Chicago causes another 500 casualties, devastating Oak Lawn.
General election
A few days before the general election in Greece, Colonel George Papadopoulos leads a coup d'état, establishing a military regime that lasts for seven years.
Rastafari
Rastafari movement: Haile Selassie of Ethiopia visits Jamaica, an event now celebrated as Grounation Day.
1964 New York World's Fair
The 1964–1965 New York World's Fair opens for its second and final season.
Transit (satellite navigation system)
A Transit-5bn satellite fails to reach orbit after launch; as it re-enters the atmosphere, 2.1 pounds (0.95 kg) of radioactive plutonium in its SNAP RTG power source is widely dispersed.
Universal House of Justice
The first election of the Universal House of Justice is held, marking its establishment as the supreme governing institution of the Baháʼí Faith.
Century 21 Exposition
The Century 21 Exposition, the first world's fair in the United States since World War II, opened in Seattle.
Brasília
Brasília, a planned city primarily designed by architect and urban planner Lúcio Costa, was officially inaugurated, replacing Rio de Janeiro as the capital of Brazil.
United Air Lines Flight 736
United Airlines Flight 736 collided with a U.S. Air Force fighter jet over southern Nevada, resulting in the deaths of all 49 people on board both aircraft.
Republic of Texas
Forces of the Republic of Texas led by Sam Houston defeated the Mexican troops of Antonio López de Santa Anna in the Battle of San Jacinto, the decisive and final battle of the Texas Revolution.
George Washington's reception at Trenton
The Ladies of Trenton social club hosted a reception for President-elect George Washington as he journeyed to New York City for his first inauguration.
Johann Sebastian Bach
J. S. Bach's cantata Bleib bei uns, denn es will Abend werden, was first performed on Easter Monday.
Wignacourt Aqueduct
The Wignacourt Aqueduct (pictured) in Malta was inaugurated, and was used to carry water to Valletta for about 300 years.
Ibrahim Khan Lodi
Ibrahim Khan Lodi, the last ruler of the Lodi dynasty, was defeated and killed by Babur at the First Battle of Panipat, marking the beginning of Mughal rule in India.
Ælfric of Abingdon
Ælfric of Abingdon was appointed Archbishop of Canterbury.
Tondo (historical polity)
A debt was pardoned by the chief of Tondo on the island of Luzon and recorded on the Laguna Copperplate Inscription, the earliest known calendar-dated document found in the Philippines.
Mark Antony
Forces led by Mark Antony fought the Battle of Mutina against those of Decimus Brutus, one of Julius Caesar's assassins.
750s BC
According to the calculations of the ancient Roman scholar Varro Reatinus, Romulus and Remus legendarily founded the city of Rome.
Births 20
A notable person born on this day. Each links to a person page with their dates and story.
Princess Isabella of Denmark
Princess Isabella of Denmark, daughter of King Frederik X and Queen Mary of Denmark
Deaths 20
A notable person who died on this day.
Polly Higgins
Polly Higgins, Scottish barrister, author and environmental lobbyist (born 1968)
Prince (musician)
Prince, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer, and actor (born 1958)
Win Tin
Win Tin, Burmese journalist and politician, co-founded the National League for Democracy (born 1930)
Leopold Engleitner
Leopold Engleitner, Austrian Holocaust survivor, author, and educator (born 1905)
Kanagaratnam Sriskandan
Kanagaratnam Sriskandan, Sri Lankan-English engineer and civil servant (born 1930)
Juan Antonio Samaranch
Juan Antonio Samaranch, Spanish businessman, seventh President of the International Olympic Committee (born 1920)
Gustav Lorentzen
Gustav Lorentzen, Norwegian singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1947)
Zhang Chunqiao
Zhang Chunqiao, Chinese writer and politician, member of the Gang of Four (born 1917)
Jean-François Lyotard
Jean-François Lyotard, French sociologist and philosopher (born 1924)
Diosdado Macapagal
Diosdado Macapagal, Filipino lawyer and politician, 9th President of the Philippines (born 1910)
Holidays & observances 8
A holiday, feast day, awareness day or national day observed every year on this date.
Conrad of Parzham
Christian feast day: Conrad of Parzham
Shemon bar Sabbae
Christian feast day: Shemon Bar Sabbae
Abdecalas
Christian feast day: Abdecalas
Wolbodo
Christian feast day: Wolbodo
Anastasius Sinaita
Christian feast day: Anastasius Sinaita
Máel Ruba
Christian feast day: Máel Ruba
Holy Infant of Good Health
Christian feast day: Holy Infant of Good Health
Anselm of Canterbury
Christian feast day: Anselm of Canterbury
Spread across the centuries
- 1st century BCE1
- 8th century BCE1
- 9th century1
- 10th century1
- 16th century1
- 17th century1
- 18th century2
- 19th century1
- 20th century41
- 21st century26
Earliest: 750s BC (753 BCE). Most recent: Pope Francis (2025).
What the categories mean, and how the standout is chosen
- Historical events
- A dated happening — a battle, treaty, launch, discovery, disaster or decision — recorded on this calendar day.
- Births
- A notable person born on this day. Each links to a person page with their dates and story.
- Deaths
- A notable person who died on this day.
- Milestones
- A first, a founding or a turning point our editors flagged as a landmark moment.
- Holidays & observances
- A holiday, feast day, awareness day or national day observed every year on this date.
- Standout / notable
- Editor-written entries come first, then entries covered by the most Wikipedia language editions. For the standout tile we prefer an entry that has a picture.
Dates before the year 1 are given on the proleptic Julian calendar. Day-level precision for ancient events is traditional rather than documented.
Nearby and related
Questions about April 21
What day of the year is April 21?
April 21 is the 111th day of the year, with 254 days left after it.
What star sign is April 21?
April 21 falls under Taurus (April 20 – May 20), a earth sign ruled by Venus. The birthstone for the month is Diamond.
How many things happened on April 21?
We record 84 entries for April 21: 36 events · 20 births · 20 deaths · 8 observances. From 753 BCE to 2025.
Who was born on April 21?
Hyein (2008) is among the notable births on April 21. The births section lists the rest.
How often is the April 21 page updated?
The day is filled the first time anyone opens it and then re-checked for new entries about every 90 days. Computed facts such as the weekday and the anniversaries update every year.
Get a daily entry like April 21
One short email a day from this calendar. Kept for this site only.
Text adapted from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0 and from Wikidata (CC0). Images come from Wikimedia Commons; credit and licence are shown with each image. Editorial entries are © What's On This Date. Sources & licensing · How this site works.