ST. JOHN'S, N.L. - An U.S. military dive team is spending this month in Newfoundland mapping the site of a plane crash that occurred in the harbour in Botwood 66 years ago.
The group, known as the Joint Prisoner of War - M.I.A. Accounting Command, is based out of Hawaii. It conducts humanitarian missions around the world to recover remains of American personnel lost during military missions.
Capt. Steve Mitroka says the Excalibur, one of the famous flying boats that used Botwood as a stopover between the U.S. and Ireland, crashed during takeoff on Oct. 3, 1942.
He says 11 of the 37 people on board were killed and two are still unaccounted for.
Mitroka says once the plane is found his team will map the area of the wreckage and debris field and gather evidence to determine whether the remains of the missing can be recovered.
