Deadly plane crash that killed 230 still sparks conspiracy theories 30 years on

Thirty years after TWA Flight 800 exploded mid-air shortly after takeoff from JFK on July 17, 1996, relatives gathered in New York to remember the 230 people killed. The Paris-bound Boeing 747 crashed into waters off Long Island about 12 minutes after departure, following a delay of more than an hour. Witnesses reported a loud sound around 8:31pm and an explosion visible from the cockpit and from the ground. The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board concluded there was no crime and that a flammable fuel or air-vapor explosion in a fuel tank—likely triggered by a short circuit—was the probable cause. Despite this, conspiracy theories have persisted, including missile and bomb claims, and earlier claims later debunked by investigators.