2016 Irkutsk mass methanol poisoning
The first victims of a mass methanol poisoning which eventually killed over 70 inhabitants of Irkutsk, Russia, began arriving at hospitals.
What happened on December 17
36 events · 20 births · 20 deaths · 8 observances. From 546 to 2025.
Standout on December 17
2016
2016 Irkutsk mass methanol poisoning
The first victims of a mass methanol poisoning which eventually killed over 70 inhabitants of Irkutsk, Russia, began arriving at hospitals.
About December 17
December 17 is the 351st day of the year. These facts are computed from the calendar, not copied from anywhere.
- Day of the year
- Day 351 of 365 (352 in leap years)14 days left in the year (14 in leap years)
- Falls on
- Thursday in 2026, Friday in 2027, Sunday in 2028, Monday in 2029, Tuesday in 2030
- Week
- ISO week 51 of 2026 · Q4
- Zodiac sign
- ♐ Sagittarius (November 22 – December 21)
- Season
- Autumn in the north · Spring in the south
- December birthstone
- Turquoise / Tanzanite / Zircongood fortune, wisdom and success
- December birth flower
- Narcissus / Holly / Poinsettiarespect, hope and good wishes
- Next occurrence
- In 51 days
- Roman numerals
- XVII.XIIday.month — see the Roman numeral date tool
Anniversaries in 2026
- 100th1926 Lithuanian coup d'état1926
- 75thCivil Rights Congress1951
- 30thElizaveta Tuktamysheva1996
- 10th2016 Irkutsk mass methanol poisoning2016
- 10thBenjamin Gilman2016
- 10thGordon Hunt (director)2016
- 10thHenry Heimlich2016
- 1stWilliam Rush (actor)2025
December 17 through the years
- 10 years ago2016
- 2016 Irkutsk mass methanol poisoning · Gordon Hunt (director) · Henry Heimlich
- 25 years ago2001
- Nothing recorded
- 50 years ago1976
- Nothing recorded
- 100 years ago1926
- 1926 Lithuanian coup d'état
- 200 years ago1826
- Nothing recorded
Born on December 17 — ages this year
- 2002Castello Lukebaturns 24
- 2000Wesley Fofana (footballer)turns 26
- 1999Mirei Sasakiturns 27
- 1999Holly Humberstoneturns 27
- 1998Martin Ødegaardturns 28
- 1998Jasmine Armfieldturns 28
Historical events 36
A dated happening — a battle, treaty, launch, discovery, disaster or decision — recorded on this calendar day.
Cuba–United States relations
The United States and Cuba re-establish diplomatic relations after severing them in 1961.
Arab Spring
Arab Spring: Mohamed Bouazizi, a street vendor in Sidi Bouzid, set himself on fire in protest against police harassment, triggering the Tunisian revolution.
Mohamed Bouazizi
Mohamed Bouazizi sets himself on fire. This act became the catalyst for the Tunisian Revolution and the wider Arab Spring.
MV Danny F II
MV Danny F II sinks off the coast of Lebanon, resulting in the deaths of 44 people and over 28,000 animals.
World Trade Organization
Anti-World Trade Organization protesters riot in Wan Chai, Hong Kong.
Jigme Singye Wangchuck
Jigme Singye Wangchuck abdicates the throne as King of Bhutan.
SpaceShipOne
SpaceShipOne, piloted by Brian Binnie, makes its first powered and first supersonic flight.
Soham murders
The Soham murder trial ends at the Old Bailey in London, with Ian Huntley found guilty of two counts of murder. His girlfriend, Maxine Carr, is found guilty of perverting the course of justice.
International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers
Sex work rights activists establish December 17 (or "D17") as International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers to memorialize victims of a serial killer who targeted prostitutes, and highlight State violence against sex workers by police and others.
Second Congo War
Second Congo War: The Congolese parties of the Inter Congolese Dialogue sign a peace accord which makes provision for transitional governance and legislative and presidential elections within two years.
Aerosvit Flight 241
Aerosvit Flight 241: A Yakovlev Yak-42 crashes into the Pierian Mountains near Thessaloniki Airport in Thessaloniki, Greece, killing all 70 people on board.
Internal conflict in Peru
Peruvian internal conflict: Fourteen members of the Túpac Amaru Revolutionary Movement provoke a hostage crisis by taking over the Japanese embassy in Lima.
LGBTQ movements
American gay rights activist William E. Woods brought three same-sex couples to fill out marriage licenses in Honolulu.
Fernando Collor de Mello
Fernando Collor de Mello defeats Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in the second round of the Brazilian presidential election, becoming the first democratically elected President in almost 30 years.
Romanian revolution
Romanian Revolution: Protests continue in Timișoara, Romania, with rioters breaking into the Romanian Communist Party's District Committee building and attempting to set it on fire.
The Simpsons
The Simpsons premieres on television with the episode "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire".
Provisional Irish Republican Army
Provisional IRA members detonate a car bomb at Harrods Department Store in London. Three police officers and three civilians are killed.
The Troubles
The Troubles: The Provisional Irish Republican Army detonated a car bomb outside Harrods in London, killing six people and injuring about 90 others.
James L. Dozier
American Brigadier General James L. Dozier is abducted by the Red Brigades in Verona, Italy.
1973 Rome airport attacks and hijacking
Thirty passengers are killed in an attack by Palestinian terrorists on Rome's Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport.
December 1970 protests in Poland
Polish soldiers fired at workers (memorial pictured) emerging from trains in Gdynia, beginning the government's crackdown on mass anti-communist protests across the country.
Project Blue Book
Project Blue Book: The United States Air Force closes its study of UFOs.
Harold Holt
Harold Holt, the prime minister of Australia, disappeared while swimming near Portsea, Victoria; his body was never recovered.
Civil Rights Congress
The Civil Rights Congress presented a document to the United Nations Genocide Convention charging the United States government with genocide against African Americans.
Finnish Security and Intelligence Service
The Finnish Security Police was established to remove communist leadership from its predecessor, the State Police.
Flag of Kurdistan
The modern flag of Kurdistan was raised for the first time in Mahabad, Iran.
Joachim Peiper
Nazi troops under Joachim Peiper killed unarmed prisoners of war, captured during the Battle of the Bulge, with machine guns near Malmedy, Belgium.
World War II
World War II: After sustaining moderate damage in the Battle of the River Plate two days earlier, the German cruiser Graf Spee was scuttled by its commander, Hans Langsdorff, to avoid its internment by Uruguay.
1926 Lithuanian coup d'état
A coup d'état by the Lithuanian military replaced the democratically elected President Kazys Grinius with Antanas Smetona.
Darwin rebellion
About 1,000 demonstrators marched (pictured) on Government House in Darwin, Australia, where they burned an effigy of Administrator John Gilruth and demanded his resignation.
American Civil War
American Civil War: Union General Ulysses S. Grant issued General Order No. 11, expelling Jews from Tennessee, Mississippi, and Kentucky.
Aztec sun stone
The Aztec sun stone (pictured), now a modern symbol of Mexican culture, was excavated in the Zócalo, the main square of Mexico City.
Cologne War
Cologne War: Forces under Ernest of Bavaria defeated Gebhard Truchsess von Waldburg's troops at the siege of Godesberg.
William Longsword
William Longsword of Normandy was ambushed and assassinated by supporters of Arnulf I, Count of Flanders, while both were at a peace conference to settle their differences.
Sack of Rome (546)
Rome was sacked by the Ostrogoths led by Totila after a year-long siege.
Births 20
A notable person born on this day. Each links to a person page with their dates and story.
Deaths 20
A notable person who died on this day.
Michael Wyschogrod
Michael Wyschogrod, German-American philosopher and theologian (born 1928)
Ivan Vekić (politician)
Ivan Vekić, Croatian colonel, lawyer, and politician, Croatian Minister of the Interior (born 1938)
Holidays & observances 8
A holiday, feast day, awareness day or national day observed every year on this date.
Saint Sturm
Christian feast day: Sturm
Daniel (biblical figure)
Christian feast day: Daniel the Prophet
Josep Manyanet i Vives
Christian feast day: Josep Manyanet i Vives
Olympias the Deaconess
Christian feast day: Olympias the Deaconess
O Antiphons
Christian feast day: O Sapientia
Wivina (abbess)
Christian feast day: Wivina
Lazarus of Bethany
Christian feast day: Lazarus of Bethany (local commemoration in Cuba)
December 17 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
Christian feast day: December 17 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
Spread across the centuries
- 6th century1
- 10th century1
- 16th century1
- 18th century1
- 19th century1
- 20th century39
- 21st century32
Earliest: Sack of Rome (546) (546). Most recent: William Rush (actor) (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.
Nearby and related
Questions about December 17
What day of the year is December 17?
December 17 is the 351st day of the year, with 14 days left after it.
What star sign is December 17?
December 17 falls under Sagittarius (November 22 – December 21), a fire sign ruled by Jupiter. The birthstone for the month is Turquoise or Tanzanite or Zircon.
How many things happened on December 17?
We record 84 entries for December 17: 36 events · 20 births · 20 deaths · 8 observances. From 546 to 2025.
Who was born on December 17?
Castello Lukeba (2002) is among the notable births on December 17. The births section lists the rest.
How often is the December 17 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 December 17
One short email a day from this calendar. Kept for this site only.
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