Transocean Air Lines Flight 512

On 12 July, Flight 512 was scheduled to fly from Guam to Oakland, California, stopping at Wake Island and Honolulu. The aircraft departed Guam at 00:04 GMT[nb 1] and arrived at Wake Island at 05:39 without incident. After boarding one additional passenger, Flight 512 departed at 06:58 for an estimated nine-hour flight. The aircraft radioed a 100-nautical-mile position report at 07:29, and another scheduled position report at 08:29 (19°48′N 171°48′E).[3]

When Flight 512 missed its next scheduled position report, an alert was issued by Wake Island at 10:01. An incoming aircraft reported seeing a green flare en route from Honolulu at approximately 08:41. A preliminary accident notice was filed at 16:43. Within 24 hours, a complete listing of the aircraft's passenger and crew manifest was published in a California newspaper.[4] The United States Navy dispatched 19 ships from Pearl Harbor, including the USS Epperson and USS Walker, along with 12 US Navy P2V Neptunes.[5]

On 13 July 1953, at 06:08, the USNS Barrett reported debris and an empty inflated life raft from Flight 512 at 19°49′N 172°25′E. Additional search support was summoned to the area. At 20:44 the Barrett reported discovering bodies in the water at 19°55′N 172°18′E and eventually 14 bodies were recovered.[6] Eleven additional bodies were spotted but could not be recovered due to rough seas and the presence of sharks. The search was ended at 00:00 on 15 July 1953.[6]