Flight 425 crashes at Madeira Airport, Funchal, Portugal, killing 131 and leaving 33 survivors. November 22 British Airways inaugurates regular London to New York City supersonic Concorde service. The TCP/IP test succeeds, connecting 3 ARPANET nodes (of 111), in what eventually becomes the Internet protocol. November 30 – The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is founded as a specialized agency of the United Nations. December December – The Colombo Plan for Co-operative Economic and Social Development in Asia and the Pacific (CESDAP) is implemented. December 4 Jean-Bédel Bokassa, president of the Central African Republic, crowns himself Emperor. Malaysian Airline System Flight 653 is hijacked and crashes in Tanjung Kupang, Johor, Malaysia, killing all 100 passengers and crew on board. December 6 – South Africa grants independence to Bophuthatswana, although it is not recognized by any other country. December 10 – 1977 Australian federal election: Malcolm Fraser's Liberal/National Country Coalition Government is re-elected with a slightly reduced majority, defeating the Labor Party led by former Prime Minister Gough Whitlam. Consequently, Whitlam resigned as ALP leader after holding the job for nearly 11 years; he would be replaced by former Treasurer Bill Hayden. December 13 – a chartered Douglas DC-3 aircraft carrying the University of Evansville basketball team to Nashville, Tennessee, crashes in rain and dense fog about 90 seconds after takeoff from Evansville Regional Airport; 29 people die in the crash, including 14 members of the team and head coach Bob Watson. December 16 – Saturday Night Fever is released in theaters and becomes the biggest dancing movie of all time. The movie launches the career of its star John Travolta and catapults the Bee Gees — who performed several songs on the soundtrack — to newfound success. December 18 – SA de Transport Aérien Flight 730, an international charter service from Zurich to Funchal Airport (Madeira), hits the sea during a landing attempt. Many of the 36 who die drown, trapped inside the sinking aircraft. Twenty-one people survive with the help of rescuers and by swimming to the shore. December 19 – The 5.9 Bob–Tangol earthquake rocks Iran, killing at least 584 people and injuring 1,000. December 20 – Djibouti and Vietnam join the United Nations. December 22 – A grain elevator explodes in Westwego, Louisiana, United States, killing 36 people. Births January January 1 Hasan Salihamidžić, Bosnian footballer Jerry Yan, Taiwanese singer January 3 – Mayumi Iizuka, Japanese