Kaleva (airplane)
| Industry | Airline |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Finland |
| Products | Air transport services |
Kaleva was a civilian Junkers Ju 52 aircraft operated by the Finnish airline Aero O/Y. On 14 June 1940, while operating as Flight 1631 from Tallinn to Helsinki, it was downed over the Gulf of Finland near Estonia's Keri by two Soviet Naval Aviation planes, resulting in the loss of all nine individuals on board. This event took place during the Interim Peace period between Finland and the Soviet Union and coincided with the initial phase of the Soviet takeover of Estonia.
The aircraft's remains were located on 5 June 2024 by Estonian unmanned underwater vehicles close to Keri lighthouse within Estonian territorial waters, resting at a depth ranging from 71 to 76 meters.
Shootdown
On 14 June 1940, following completion of its scheduled route stops connecting Stockholm, Turku, Helsinki, and Tallinn, Kaleva departed from Tallinn (Ülemiste) heading to Helsinki (Malmi) as Aero Flight 1631. Shortly after departure, it was intercepted by two Soviet Ilyushin DB-3 (DB-3T) torpedo bombers belonging to the 1st Mine-Torpedo Aviation Regiment of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet. The lead bomber was under the command of Shio Bidzinashvili.
The Soviet bombers opened fire on Kaleva, causing it to crash northeast of Keri island in the Gulf of Finland. All nine passengers and crew members died, and their remains were never recovered. The attack and subsequent crash were witnessed by local Estonian fishermen. Soon after, the Soviet submarine Shch-301 surfaced, confiscating items retrieved from the wreckage and recovering diplomatic correspondence.
At that time, Finland was not engaged in war with the USSR. The incident occurred amidst Soviet preparations for their full-scale invasion and occupation of Estonia on 16–17 June 1940. These actions followed several days of Soviet air and naval blockades designed to sever diplomatic communications from Estonia. Among those aboard were two German businessmen, two couriers from the French embassy carrying over of diplomatic mail, one Swedish national, an American courier reportedly transporting U.S. military codes, and an Estonian woman.
To avoid escalating tensions with the Soviets during the Interim Peace, Finland’s government chose not to formally protest and concealed the true circumstances surrounding the crash under Soviet pressure. The full details only emerged publicly after hostilities resumed during the Continuation War.
Later Soviet reports
According to Commander G. Goldberg’s account from the Russian State Naval Archives, on 14 June 1940 at 15:05 a Finnish aircraft flying from Tallinn to Helsinki was pursued by two Soviet Tupolev SB bombers and caught fire at 15:06 before crashing into the sea approximately from the submarine’s location. By 15:47, Shch-301 had reached the crash site where three Estonian fishing vessels were present. Lieutenants Aladzhanov, Krainov, and Shevtshenko interrogated the fishermen and recovered around of diplomatic mail along with valuables and foreign currency.
At 15:58, a Finnish fighter plane circled above the area three times before continuing toward Helsinki. The coordinates of the crash were documented as .
Captain A. Matveyev’s report confirmed these events and listed recovered items including diplomatic mail and various currencies: two gold medals; Finnish markka 2,000; Romanian leu 10,000; French franc 13,500; Yugoslav dinar 100; Italian lira 90; US dollar 75; Soviet rouble 521; and Estonian kroon 10. All materials were transferred to patrol boat Sneg and delivered to Kronstadt.
Lt General Pyotr Khokhlov, a distinguished Soviet navigator in long-range aviation, described his involvement in this episode in his memoir "Above Three Seas" (1988):
Victims
| Nationality | Passengers | Crew |
|---|---|---|
| Template:Flagcountry | 2 | |
| Template:Flagcountry | 2 | |
| Template:Flagcountry | 2 | |
| Template:Flagcountry | 1 | |
| Template:Flagcountry | 1 | |
| Template:Flagcountry | 1 | |
| Total | 7 | 2 |
The aircraft was under the command of Captain Bo von Willebrand, accompanied by wireless operator Tauno Launis. Among those who perished was Henry W. Antheil Jr., an American diplomat serving as a clerk at the U.S. Legation in Helsinki, who received posthumous recognition from the U.S. Department of State. Another victim was French mathematician Frédéric Marty, employed by the French embassy in Tallinn.
- Bo Hermansson von Willebrand (pilot)
- Tauno Launis (wireless operator)
- Henry W. Antheil Jr. (American diplomatic official)
- Frédéric Marty (French diplomatic courier)
- Paul Longuet (French diplomatic courier)
- Rudolf Cöllen (German passenger)
- Friedrich-Wilhelm Offermann (German passenger)
- Max Hettinger (Swedish passenger)
- Gunvor Maria Luts (Estonian citizen born in Finland)
2024 wreck discovery
On June 5, 2024, Estonian diver Kaido Peremees utilized underwater drones to locate the Kaleva's wreckage near Keri lighthouse within Estonian territorial waters, resting at a depth between 71 and 76 meters. This finding was subsequently verified by Matias Laitinen, curator at the Finnish Aviation Museum.
See also
References
- Gummerus, Vuosisatamme kronikka, p. 543. 1987.