Jim Lovell, the astronaut, who has died aged 97, was commander of the ill-fated Apollo 13 mission in April 1970, which turned into one of the most dramatic in the history of space flight.

US astronaut Jim Lovell, the commander of the Apollo 13 Moon mission which nearly ended in disaster in 1970 after a mid-flight explosion, has died at the age of 97, NASA announced Friday.

James Lovell, a member of humanity’s first trip to the moon and commander of NASA’s ill-fated Apollo 13 mission, has died at the age of 97.