Wreckage of plane that sank 74 years ago found
The Air Sea Heritage Foundation for the study of sunken ships, in collaboration with other organizations, discovered in June 2026 the wreckage of the Clipper Endeavor aircraft, which crashed off the coast of Puerto Rico in 1952.
This was reported by CNN, citing a statement from Discovery Channel.
After the plane crash that claimed the lives of 52 people, aviation standards incorporated such requirements as demonstrating emergency exits and instructions on the use of life vests.
On April 11, 1952, the plane with 64 passengers and 5 crew members on board took off from Puerto Rico, heading for New York. A few minutes later, one of the plane's engines failed, forcing the pilot to make a water landing. Despite the presence of life rafts and vests, only 17 people survived. The rest were unable to get out of the plane due to confusion, lack of knowledge of safety procedures, and language barriers. The plane sank in less than three minutes, and its location remained unknown for 74 years.
In June, researchers managed to locate the plane using an autonomous underwater drone. The wreckage was found at a depth of about 610 m off the northern coast of Puerto Rico. There are no plans to raise the Clipper Endeavor, as it has become the burial site of those who perished.
After the plane crash, the U.S. Civil Aeronautics Board — the predecessor of the Federal Aviation Administration — proposed conducting preflight briefings for passengers explaining the rules for using life vests and the location of emergency exits.
Source: TASS
