The wreckage of a Pan Am flight that crashed into the ocean near Puerto Rico in 1952 has been discovered, decades after the disaster claimed 52 lives. The crash led to new requirements for passenger safety briefings on airplanes.
Investigators have not yet released details about how the wreckage was found or its exact location. The plane, a Pan American World Airways flight, went down in the waters off Puerto Rico on April 11, 1952. All 52 people on board were killed.
At the time, the crash was one of the worst in aviation history. It prompted changes in airline safety regulations, including the requirement for airlines to provide safety briefings to passengers before takeoff. Previously, such briefings were not standard.
The discovery of the wreckage comes after more than seven decades. It may help investigators understand what caused the crash. The National Transportation Safety Board and other agencies are involved in the recovery and analysis.
Pan Am, once a major airline, ceased operations in 1991. The 1952 crash is one of several that shaped modern aviation safety rules. The finding of the wreckage brings closure to some families and sheds light on a pivotal moment in air travel history.