The wreckage of a plane from Pan American Airways found 74 years ago after its crash into the Atlantic Ocean, which led to mandatory safety updates for airlines.
The Clipper Endeavor was found 610 meters below sea level off the coast of Puerto Rico by a drone equipped with sonar. It crashed on April 11, 1952, after engine failure shortly after takeoff.
All on board survived the impact – but passengers had difficulty locating life jackets and rafts as the plane sank very quickly.
Of the 69 passengers and crew, only 17 survived.
The plane was carrying 64 passengers and five crew members to New York when the pilot was forced to make a forced landing in the water.
The ensuing confusion became a “catalyst” for modern regulations that mandate better flotation equipment on planes and pre-flight briefings on how to use it, aviation safety expert John Cox told the AP.
So this disaster led to sweeping reforms in aviation safety, such as mandatory pre-flight safety briefings on every commercial flight.
Today, before every flight, cabin crew are required to describe where an airplane's exits are located, the location of life jackets, and how to use them.
Although the press releases will range from very select to rare, I said I'd pass...because sometimes the editors hide.
