Sixty-four years ago today, on September 18, 1961 (August 9, 1961), UN Secretary-General Hammarskjöld was killed in a plane crash. Hammarskjöld prepared to board the plane that was about to kill him September 18, 1961. Hammarskjöld's efforts to find peace in the war-torn Congo came to an end due to his death in a suspicious plane crash in Northern Rhodesia. Twelve other passengers and crew, including three Americans, were killed on the same plane as the UN Secretary-General. The only survivor, an American security guard, said the plane crashed vertically near Ndola, Northern Rhodesia, after he heard several explosions. Hammarskjöld was there for talks with Moise Tshombe, the leader of Katanga's armed forces, who had flown to Northern Rhodesia after the United Nations routed his forces and handed over control of Katanga to the Congolese government. Tshombe, who was holding a news conference when he learned of Hammarskjöld's death, looked shocked. Tshombe, who had earlier criticized United Nations policy in Congo, said he had been looking forward to talks with the secretary-general to find "a solution that frees Katanga."