▁cre vas se ▁started ▁opening ▁under ▁the ▁observ atory . ▁It ▁was ▁abandoned . ▁Event ually ▁the ▁building ▁fell , ▁and ▁only ▁the ▁tower ▁could ▁be ▁saved ▁in ▁extrem is . ▁ ▁Air ▁crashes ▁ ▁The ▁mountain ▁was ▁the ▁scene ▁of ▁two ▁fatal ▁air ▁crashes ; ▁Air ▁India ▁Fl ight ▁ 2 4 5 ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 0 ▁and ▁Air ▁India ▁Fl ight ▁ 1 0 1 ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 6 . ▁Both ▁plan es ▁were ▁approaching ▁Gene va ▁Airport ▁and ▁the ▁pil ots ▁mis calcul ated ▁their ▁descent ; ▁ 4 8 ▁and ▁ 1 1 7 ▁people , ▁respectively , ▁died . ▁The ▁latter ▁passengers ▁included ▁nuclear ▁scient ist ▁Hom i ▁J . ▁B hab ha , ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁" father " ▁of ▁India ' s ▁nuclear ▁programme . ▁ ▁T unnel ▁▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 6 , ▁a ▁dr illing ▁project ▁was ▁initi ated ▁to ▁car ve ▁a ▁tunnel ▁through ▁the ▁mountain . ▁The ▁Mont ▁Bl anc ▁tunnel ▁would ▁connect ▁Cham on ix , ▁France ▁and ▁Cour may eur , ▁Italy , ▁and ▁become ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁major ▁trans - Al pine ▁transport ▁routes ▁between ▁the ▁two ▁countries . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 5 , ▁the ▁tunnel ▁opened ▁to ▁vehicle ▁traffic ▁with ▁a ▁length ▁of ▁. ▁▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁dis aster ▁▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁a ▁transport ▁tr uck ▁caught ▁fire ▁in ▁the ▁tunnel ▁beneath ▁the ▁mountain . ▁In ▁total ▁ 3 9 ▁people ▁were ▁killed