Man United's Munich air disaster memorial vandalised with items stolen by thieves

A memorial display at Manchesterplatz in Munich honouring the 23 victims of Manchester United's 1958 air disaster has been vandalised and items stolen.

A display case at the Munich air disaster memorial in Manchesterplatz has been vandalised and items stolen, the Manchester Munich Memorial Foundation announced this week. The memorial honours the 23 people who died on 6 February 1958 when a plane carrying Manchester United back from Belgrade crashed during a refuelling stop; eight United players were among the victims.

The MMMF said Manchester United offered to fund repairs, but the charity had already arranged to cover the cost. Chair Ifty Ahmed expressed sadness at the vandalism, noting the site's profound significance to the families of those who died and to United supporters worldwide. He praised the Red Docs and others in Munich for their swift action to repair the damage, adding: "Those responsible may have damaged a display case and stolen treasured items, but they cannot steal our memories, diminish our friendship or destroy the legacy of those we remember."