WWII Bombers Discovered Off Papua New Guinea

News May 24, 2017

(Project Recover)
Papua New Guinea B 25 Bomber
(Project Recover)

NEWARK, DELAWARE—The wreckage of two World War II–era B-25 bombers has been located in waters off Papua New Guinea, according to a report from Philly.com. The discoveries were part of ongoing surveys by the nonprofit organization Project Recover, which includes researchers from the University of Delaware and the University of California, San Diego. The location of the first plane, in Madang Harbor, was previously known. Five of its six crewmembers survived the crash and were taken prisoner by the Japanese. Based on military and historic records, the team narrowed down the location of the second plane to a several square mile area and used an underwater robot equipped with sonar to scan the ocean floor. The tail was located first, and additional debris was found several hundred yards away. “The aircraft was moving at a pretty fast clip when it hit the water,” said Mark Moline of the University of Delaware. All six of its crewmembers were declared missing in action after it was shot down by the Japanese more than 70 years ago. For more, go to “Archaeology of World War II.”

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