Mystery Solved: WWII-Era Plane Shot Down Over Baltic Sea Finally Found After 84 Years

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Over 80 years ago, a Finnish passenger plane carrying both American and French diplomatic couriers was mysteriously shot down over the Baltic Sea, resulting in the deaths of all nine people aboard. This long-standing World War II-era mystery appears to have finally been resolved.

Divers find remains of Finnish WWII plane that was shot down by Moscow with a US diplomat aboard https://t.co/z6RT0dnwNU

— The Associated Press (@AP) June 15, 2024

The ill-fated plane, a Junkers Ju 52 operated by Aero (now Finnair), was en route from Tallinn, Estonia, to Helsinki, Finland, on June 14, 1940. Its downing by Soviet bombers occurred just three months after Finland’s peace treaty with Moscow following the Winter War and shortly before the Soviet annexation of the Baltic states.

Among the victims was American diplomat Henry W. Antheil Jr., a 27-year-old involved in a mission to evacuate sensitive diplomatic materials from U.S. missions in Estonia and Latvia. Antheil, the younger brother of notable composer George Antheil, is considered one of the first U.S. casualties of World War II. The flight also carried two French, two German, one Swedish, and one dual Estonian-Finnish nationals.

A recent breakthrough by an Estonian diving and salvage team has led to the discovery of well-preserved parts and debris from the plane near the island of Keri, close to Tallinn. The wreckage was located at a depth of approximately 70 meters (230 feet). Kaido Peremees, a spokesperson for the diving team from Tuukritoode OU, detailed their innovative search approach which contributed to this significant find.

The incident had sparked disbelief and outrage among Helsinki authorities when it was first reported that the plane was attacked just 10 minutes after taking off from Tallinn’s Ulemiste airport. Finnish aviation historian Carl-Fredrik Geust noted the rarity of a passenger plane being shot down during peacetime on a normal flight route.

The World War II mystery of what happened to a Finnish passenger plane after it was shot down over the Baltic Sea by Soviet bombers appears to finally be solved more than eight decades later. https://t.co/GcDxPqDq1i

— ABC News (@ABC) June 15, 2024

For many years, Finland remained publicly silent on the specifics of the crash, referring to it only as a “mysterious crash” to avoid provoking Moscow. However, the incident has been a subject of extensive documentation and is a key part of Finland’s complex WWII narrative, particularly highlighting its tumultuous relationship with Moscow.

The significance of the downing extends beyond the tragic loss; it occurred just days before the Soviet Union’s annexation of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, an event that prefigured the long Soviet occupation of these states until their independence in 1991.

Following the plane’s disappearance, rumors and conspiracy theories circulated about the possible reasons behind the Soviet attack, suggesting Moscow aimed to intercept sensitive materials. However, Geust suggested it could have been a mere error by the Soviet bomber pilots.

The discovery of the plane’s wreckage by Peremees’ team, who are now focusing on creating 3D images of the debris, brings a measure of closure to this historical episode. Discussions are underway regarding the potential raising of the wreckage and any recoverable items, including human remains.

Divers find remains of Finnish WWII plane that was shot down by Moscow with a US diplomat aboard https://t.co/TvuUQLrJty pic.twitter.com/lGgfs34obx

— WHLT 22 Hattiesburg (@WHLT22) June 15, 2024

The U.S. Embassy in Tallinn has expressed keen interest in the developments, with plans to discuss the findings with Finnish and Estonian authorities. A memorial to the victims, established in the 1990s on Keri, and another at Helsinki’s old Malmi airport terminal, serve as remembrances of those lost in this tragic event.

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