Seventy-four years after the crash of a Pan American Airways aircraft in the waters off Puerto Rico, search teams have announced the discovery of the wreck on the ocean floor, according to reports.
The Air/Sea Heritage Foundation and other organizations, including the crew from the Discovery Channel’s “Expedition Unknown,” located the wreck of the Pan Am “Clipper Endeavor” last month in the Atlantic Ocean, north of Puerto Rico, as stated by Discovery on Tuesday.
The Douglas DC-4 aircraft broke into two sections after taking off from Puerto Rico on April 11, 1952, carrying 64 passengers and five crew members.
While all on board survived the initial impact, only 12 passengers and five crew members were rescued, with the remaining individuals losing their lives.
The disaster prompted significant reforms in aviation, leading to the implementation of pre-flight safety instructions and emergency procedure demonstrations.
Russ Matthews, president of the Air/Sea Heritage Foundation, expressed, “We are all astonished and thrilled by this discovery, but also overwhelmed with respect as we remember what happened in that place so long ago.”
The search involved the company Deep Sea Vision and utilized high-resolution sonar technology, with the wreckage found nearly 600 meters below the Atlantic Ocean’s surface.
The operation also employed autonomous underwater drones, resolving the mystery surrounding the aircraft’s final resting place.
