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Expedition Unknown Locates 1952 Pan Am Clipper Wreck, 52 Dead

7/21/2026

46 8 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

U.S. and Expedition Unknown located the Pan Am “Clipper Endeavor” wreck off Puerto Rico on July 21, 2026.
The Douglas DC-4 left San Juan on April 11, 1952, crashed and killed 52.
An underwater drone found the fuselage about 2,000 feet deep with the Pan Am logo visible.
The Air/Sea Heritage Foundation and Expedition Unknown used sonar to locate the wreck and are protecting site while building a memorial for 52 victims.

History

Historical Context

The 1985 locate of the RMS Titanic by Robert Ballard, using the Argo/Jason system at 12,500 ft, sparked international debate over wreck ownership and led to UNESCO’s 2001 underwater-heritage convention, later applied to the Titanic in 2012. That precedent underpins the July 2026 Expedition Unknown-Pan Am collaboration that used sonar and a drone to locate the 1952 DC-4 “Clipper Endeavor” off Puerto Rico.

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Story summary

U.S. and Expedition Unknown located the Pan Am “Clipper Endeavor” wreck off Puerto Rico on July 21, 2026.
The Douglas DC-4 left San Juan on April 11, 1952, crashed and killed 52.
An underwater drone found the fuselage about 2,000 feet deep with the Pan Am logo visible.
The Air/Sea Heritage Foundation and Expedition Unknown used sonar to locate the wreck and are protecting site while building a memorial for 52 victims.

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