Discovery showcases the advanced subsea detection and survey capabilities that support Eco Minerals’ critical mineral exploration strategy
Historic mission featured on NBC’s TODAY Show and Discovery Channel’s Expedition Unknown
MT. PLEASANT, SC / ACCESS Newswire / July 21, 2026 /
Eco Minerals, Inc.(“Eco Minerals” or the “Company”), an American company advancing U.S. critical minerals independence through the responsible exploration and development of subsea mineral resources, announces that its wholly owned subsidiary,
Deep Sea Vision, LLC(“DSV”), has located the wreck of the
Clipper EndeavorThe discovery was made in collaboration with the Air/Sea Heritage Foundation (“ASHF”), with DSV deploying its advanced autonomous underwater vehicle (“AUV”) technology and expert technical team to conduct the subsea search that conclusively identified the aircraft. The mission was later featured on NBC’s TODAY Show, highlighting the collaboration among Deep Sea Vision, the Air/Sea Heritage Foundation, and explorer Josh Gates, host of Discovery Channel’s Expedition Unknown.
Discovery Details
The wreck was found resting almost 2,000 feet deep in the Atlantic Ocean, broken into two sections. Following years of archival research by ASHF to define the most promising search area, DSV mobilized its AUV survey system and operations personnel to complete the extensive subsea search. Explorer and television host Josh Gates and a production crew embedded with the field team to document the mission for an episode of the Discovery Channel adventure-travel series, “Expedition Unknown.”
The Clipper Endeavor, operating as Pan Am flight 526A, departed San Juan bound for New York on April 11, 1952. All 69 people aboard survived the forced water landing, but 52 passengers perished after the aircraft flooded and sank within minutes. The accident led directly to the industry-wide mandate for the now-familiar preflight passenger safety briefing that has since saved countless lives. It remains the second-worst aviation disaster in Puerto Rican history.
Management Commentary
Tony Romeo, Chief Executive Officer of Eco Minerals, commented: “Locating an aircraft lost for nearly 75 years, in almost 2,000 feet of water, is an extraordinary technical achievement and demonstration of what our Deep Sea Vision team and technology can do. We are honored to have supported the Air/Sea Heritage Foundation in preserving an important chapter of aviation history and in helping bring answers to the families connected to this tragedy.”
National Media Coverage
The mission and historic discovery were featured on NBC’s Today in a segment reported by NBC News Senior National Correspondent Tom Costello, highlighting the collaboration between Deep Sea Vision, the Air/Sea Heritage Foundation, and explorer Josh Gates. The coverage showcased the decades-long effort to locate the Clipper Endeavor and the advanced autonomous underwater survey technology that ultimately led to the aircraft’s discovery.
Watch the TODAY Show segment: Video Link
