Missing WWII Plane Found
in Costa Rica
Farmers in the mountains
of Costa Rica found a
Chilean air force plane
that disappeared during
World War II while
flying from Texas to
Chile.
Police were led to the
crash site after an
anonymous caller
reported seeing a local
resident carrying plane
parts in the town of San
Isidro de El Guarco,
located in the mountains
southeast of San Jose.
Officials confirmed the
plane was the Vultee
BT-13 Valiant that
disappeared in 1943 on a
flight from San Antonio,
Texas, said Francisco
Lara, a spokesman for
the Chilean Embassy in
Costa Rica.
"You can plainly see the
coat of arms and the
colors," he said. "We
are sure it is the same
plane."
The Chilean air force
had just purchased the
plane in Texas and was
flying it home.
Lara said pilot Werner
Martinez and Sgt. Tomas
Ayala were on ill-fated
flight 65 years ago, but
that officials found no
sign of human remains.
A man found selling the
plane parts said he
found the crash site
more than 30 years ago
and that it was no
secret — at least to
locals.
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