Wreckage of Pan Am plane found 74 years after it crashed off Puerto Rico
3 hours ago
- The wreckage of the Pan Am 'Clipper Endeavor' was discovered 74 years after the crash off Puerto Rico's northern coast by the Air/Sea Heritage Foundation and Discovery Channel's 'Expedition Unknown'.
- The Douglas DC-4 crashed on April 11, 1952, killing 52 people; only 17 of 69 aboard survived.
- The lack of a preflight safety briefing and language barriers contributed to confusion and high fatalities, prompting aviation industry reforms.
- Reforms included mandatory preflight safety briefings on life vests, rafts, and emergency exits, now standard on all flights.
- Two survivors—a 102-year-old former nurse and a baby who was resuscitated—are still alive and were informed of the discovery.
- The wreckage, found at 2,000 feet depth using a high-resolution sonar drone, is now being protected and a memorial is planned.