On September 3, 1978, Air Rhodesia Flight 825, a Vickers Viscount, was shot down by ZIPRA guerrillas armed with a Soviet-made SAM Strela-2 missile. The flight, which was en route from Kariba to Salisbury in Rhodesia, was carrying 56 passengers and crew members. After being struck, the aircraft crashed, killing 38 individuals immediately. The site of the crash became an even grimmer scene as 10 survivors were executed by the guerrillas, heightening the horror of the incident. This attack took place during the Rhodesian Bush War, a conflict marked by fierce resistance against British colonial rule and later the unrecognized white-minority government in Rhodesia by nationalist movements like ZIPRA, which represented the Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army.The downing of Flight 825 not only resulted in a tragic loss of life but also represented a shift in the tactics employed during the Bush War. Guerrilla warfare strategies were increasingly sophisticated, further complicating the military and political landscape of the region. The attack drew international attention to the brutal realities of the Rhodesian conflict and highlighted the dangers faced by civilians amidst a wartime environment. Furthermore, the incident was significant as it demonstrated the growing capabilities of insurgent groups who were receiving support and weaponry from Cold War powers, drastically altering how the conflict was perceived both locally and abroad. The attack would haunt the Rhodesian government and its military forces as they struggled to maintain control during a time of rising insurgency and war fatigue among their own ranks.