Today, exactly 34 years ago, an Israeli El Al cargo plane crashed into 2 apartment buildings in Amsterdam’s Bijlmermeer district.

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The aircraft had taken off from Schiphol Airport, and in a single instant, 40 apartments were destroyed and 43 people lost their lives.

What followed was a tragedy shrouded in mystery.

Survivors became ill without any clear explanation. Witnesses reported seeing men in white suits removing wreckage, as though something needed to be kept hidden.

The government stated that the aircraft had been carrying only perfume, flowers, and computer parts.

But a partially burned cargo manifest revealed something else: The plane was also carrying military components destined for a factory involved in the production of chemical weapons.

It is certain that the aircraft carried components that could be used in the production of the nerve agent “sarin.” The remainder of the cargo remains classified as a state secret to this day.

Other aspects of the disaster also raise questions. The black box that records conversations between the pilots was never found, something highly unusual for an accident that occurred over land.

And the identity of the men in white suits whom witnesses said they saw on the night of the disaster has never been established.

In the years after the crash, increasing numbers of residents and emergency workers began suffering from serious health problems, including breathing difficulties, skin rashes, and chronic fatigue.

Many suspect these conditions were linked to toxic substances released from the wreckage.

Because so many questions remained unanswered, the Dutch House of Representatives launched a parliamentary inquiry in 1998.

Its final report, published in 1999, concluded that major mistakes had been made during the investigation and recovery operation, and that crucial information concerning the cargo had disappeared.

To this day, questions remain about what may have been one of the largest cover-ups in Dutch history.