After more than eight decades, the mystery of a Finnish passenger plane shot down over the Baltic Sea during WWII appears to be solved. The plane, carrying American and French diplomatic couriers, was shot down by Soviet bombers in June 1940, just days before Moscow conquered the Baltic republics. All nine people on board were killed, including the Finnish crew and passengers of various nationalities.
Finland stayed quiet about the incident for years to avoid offending Moscow. Despite significant evidence in books, study, and television shows, the 84-year-old mystery has piqued Finns’ interest, highlighting the country’s complex World War II past and troubled connection with Moscow.
The sinking of the Kaleva occurred just days before the Soviet Union, led by Josef Stalin, invaded the Baltic republics, ensuring their destiny for the next 50 years until their independence in 1991. The Kaleva’s flight was the final out of Tallinn as the Soviets imposed a transport embargo on the Estonian capital.
Among the passengers was Henry W. Antheil Jr., an American ambassador and one of the first casualties of World War II. The 27-year-old was on a mission to remove sensitive diplomatic pouches from U.S. missions in Tallinn and Riga as Soviet annexation was imminent. On June 15, 1940, the Associated Press reported that Antheil had died in a “mysterious explosion of a Finnish airliner.” The United States Embassy in Tallinn has thoroughly studied the case, with spokesman Mike Snyder expressing great interest in the discovery of Kaleva’s wreckage, particularly due to Antheil’s presence on the flight.
Earlier this month, US Ambassador to Estonia George P Kent emphasized the significance of the finding by posting photographs of Antheil and the Kaleva on social media. The Kaleva was transporting 227 kilograms (500 pounds) of diplomatic mail, which included Antheil’s pouches and materials from two French couriers, Paul Longuet and Frederic Marty.
Estonian fishermen and a lighthouse operator on Keri subsequently stated that a Soviet submarine emerged near the crash scene to recover floating debris, including documents. This has inspired conspiracy theories about what was in the pouches and why Moscow shot down the jet. However, it is still unknown why the Soviet Union attacked a civilian Finnish jet during peacetime. Geust suggested that it could have been a mistake by the Soviet bomber pilots.
Despite repeated attempts to locate the Kaleva since Estonia won independence over three decades ago, including a 2008 search by the United States Navy’s oceanographic survey vessel Pathfinder, the plane’s remnants remain undiscovered. Peremees described the difficulties faced by the seabed’s geological formations, valleys, and slopes, which made it easy to overlook minor portions and detritus.
New film from underwater robots provides clear views of the Junkers’ landing gear, a motor, and parts of the wings, leading Peremees’ team to conclude that the wreckage belonged to Kaleva due to the German-made aircraft’s unusual design.
Finnair’s chief operating officer Jaakko Schildt hailed the discovery as providing closure to a devastating incident for the airline, then known as Aero, while acknowledging the lasting interest in this chapter regional aviation history.
Peremees’ company intends to make 3D photos of Kaleva’s debris and consult with Estonian authorities on lifting items such as potential cargo and human remains. The US Embassy in Tallinn is actively following these initiatives, and Snyder has expressed willingness to address any developments with Finnish and Estonian NATO allies.
Memorials to those killed in the Kaleva crash can be found on Keri island and at Helsinki’s Malmi airport.
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