1. Finnish WWII plane shot down by Moscow
2. US diplomat aboard WWII plane shot down by Moscow.
Accident – Death – Obituary News :
HELSINKI (AP) — The World War II mystery of a Finnish passenger plane shot down over the Baltic Sea by Soviet bombers in 1940 appears to have finally been solved more than eight decades later.
The plane, a Junkers Ju 52 operated by Finnish airline Aero (now Finnair), was carrying American and French diplomatic couriers when it was downed just days before Moscow annexed the Baltic states. All nine people on board, including the two-member Finnish crew and the seven passengers, were killed in the tragic incident.
Discovery of the Wreckage
A diving and salvage team in Estonia recently located well-preserved parts and debris from the plane off the tiny island of Keri near Tallinn, Estonia’s capital. The wreckage was found at a depth of around 70 meters (230 feet).
Kaido Peremees, spokesman for the Estonian diving company Tuukritoode OU, credited the team’s success in finding the remains to a new approach to the search. They were able to identify parts of the Junkers Ju 52, confirming that the wreckage belonged to the long-lost plane.
The Tragic Event
The downing of the civilian plane, named Kaleva, happened on June 14, 1940, shortly after Finland had signed a peace treaty with Moscow following the Winter War. The incident, in which the plane was shot down by Soviet bombers just 10 minutes after takeoff, shocked authorities in Helsinki and raised questions about Moscow’s motives.
While Finland initially kept silent about the details of the crash to avoid provoking Moscow, the incident has since become a significant part of Finnish history and sheds light on the country’s complex relationship with the Soviet Union during World War II.
The Victims and Their Mission
Among the passengers on board Kaleva was American diplomat Henry W. Antheil Jr., who was on a mission to evacuate sensitive diplomatic pouches from U.S. missions in Tallinn and Riga, Latvia. Antheil’s tragic death marked one of the first U.S. casualties of World War II.
The news of the possible location of Kaleva’s wreckage has sparked interest not only in Finland but also in the United States, where Antheil’s memory is still honored. Efforts to recover the plane’s cargo and human remains are underway, with the U.S. Embassy in Tallinn closely monitoring the progress.
Historical Significance
The discovery of Kaleva’s wreckage brings closure to a tragic chapter in Finnish aviation history. The plane’s downing just days before the Soviet annexation of the Baltic states highlights the turbulent events of the time and sheds light on the geopolitical tensions of World War II.
As efforts continue to document and recover the remains of Kaleva, the memory of the passengers and crew lost in the tragic incident will be honored, ensuring that their sacrifice is not forgotten.
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