A Nationair DC-8 crashed during an emergency landing at Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, killing 261. The Canadian charter was ferrying Hajj pilgrims on behalf of Nigeria irways. Nolisair was the parent company that ran Nationair and Technair (maintenance) in Mirabel, Quebec. 

The company went bankrupt in 1993 after it was discovered that it owed the Government millions of dollars in unpaid landing fees. Creditors began seizing airplanes and demanded cash up front for services. This came on the heels of a 15 month Lockout of its Flight Attendants, and a crash in Saudi Arabia in which all passengers and crew were killed.

By the time it was discovered that the cause of the crash was negligence on the part of the company, it had already been gone for several years.  The safety of the airline was often called into question but the President, Robert Obadia vehemently denied the accusations. Eventually, it would be discovered that the airline often flew aircraft that were unworthy, and that Transport Canada knew this, but did nothing about it, “losing” a Safety Review that cast the airline in a negative light.