74-Year-Old Mystery Solved: Aircraft Wreckage Discovered at the Bottom of the Atlantic

Researchers from the Air/Sea Heritage Foundation, Deep Sea Vision, and Discovery Channel's Expedition Unknown documentary project have obtained the first images of the wreckage of a Clipper Endeavor (Douglas DC-4) aircraft that crashed in the Atlantic Ocean in 1952. This was reported by Meduza .

According to reports, the aircraft belonging to Pan American Airways crashed on April 11, 1952, while flying from Puerto Rico to New York, after both engines on the right wing failed. Captain John S. Burn sent out a distress signal and attempted to ditch the aircraft in the water, but strong winds made the landing unsuccessful and the aircraft began to sink.

Although everyone on board survived the initial impact, many passengers failed to evacuate the aircraft in time due to panic. As a result, only 17 out of the 69 people on board survived.

This disaster led to significant changes in aviation safety. It was precisely after this incident that the practice of briefing passengers before every flight on emergency procedures, exit doors, and the use of life vests was introduced.

Researchers located the aircraft wreckage near the northern coast of Puerto Rico at a depth of 610 meters using a side-scan sonar drone. The expedition also attempted to search for the aircraft in 2024, but unfavorable weather prevented it. In June 2026, the drone successfully located fragments bearing the Pan American logo.