Swiss salvagers switch focus from sunken boat to crashed aircraft

Lake Constance contains the wreckage of a steamship and aircraft Keystone

After failing to recover the wreckage of a steamship, Swiss salvagers are now turning their attention to the remains of an aircraft that crashed into Lake Constance in 1957.

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The Ship Salvage Association plans to pull up a former Swissair plane that lies at a depth of 210 metres at the bottom of the lake.

But the discovery of a bone, which may belong to one of the victims of the crash, has interrupted the salvage operation since mid-January. A decision on whether to proceed with the salvage lies in the hands of the Federal Prosecutor’s Office, which is conducting an investigation.

The Swissair Douglas DC-3 took off from Zurich Airport on June 18, 1957, for a training flight. The plane was carrying pilot candidates for flight training and engineers who were to carry out some tests on board. Between Romanshorn and Arbon, the plane slipped into a steep dive and crashed Lake Constance, with the loss of all nine people on board.

Loss of speed was suspected to have caused the crash, but the exact reason for this has never been determined. Despite a major rescue operation after the crash, four bodies are still lying on the bottom of the lake today.

Seeking answers

The Ship Salvage Association aims to create a memorial to commemorate the victims of the accident. “The DC-3 is low hanging fruit, so it’s easy to reach,” said Silvan Paganini, president of the association. The debris field is spread over an area 50 to 100 metres long, including chairs, an engine and parts of the wing. It is possible that the salvage operation can still shed light on the cause of the accident.

Comparing the Swissair salvage with the failed Säntis steamship operation is difficult. Last year, salvagers tried twice to get the boat at the bottom of Lake Constance. The ship, which was decommissioned and sunk in 1933, is still lying at the bottom of the lake.

Fundraise falling short

The most important difference is the weight of the object. The steamship weighs around 200 tons in total, while the remains of the Swissair plane weigh around half a ton.

While the side project of salvaging the aircraft is still on hold for an indefinite period, the association is simultaneously collecting money for the third attempt to salvage Säntis. The fundraise has until the end of January to boost the CHF170,000 raised so far to CHF1 million.

“If we don’t get the money together, the salvage project will be dead for the time being,” said Paganini.

Adapted from German by DeepL/mga

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