Today In Canadian History July 8: Terror in the Skies: The Unsolved Bombing of CP Flight 21

On July 8, 1965, Canadian Pacific Air Lines Flight 21 took off from Vancouver, bound for Whitehorse with stops in Prince George, Fort St. John, Fort Nelson, and Watson Lake. It never reached its destination. As the Douglas DC-6 aircraft flew over the remote interior of British Columbia, it was ripped apart by a violent explosion. The wreckage was strewn across a remote logging area northwest of 100 Mile House, and all 52 people on board—46 passengers and 6 crew—were killed.

Investigators arriving at the horrific scene quickly determined this was no accident. The tail section of the aircraft was found miles from the main wreckage, and chemical analysis revealed traces of explosives. The blast had originated in the left-rear lavatory. This was a targeted act of sabotage, a mass murder. The RCMP launched one of the most extensive investigations in its history. They rebuilt a mockup of the plane's tail, interviewed thousands, and delved into the lives of every passenger and crew member.

Suspicion eventually fell on four passengers, but no theory could ever be definitively proven. Was it a suicidal passenger with a life insurance motive? An act of revenge? A political statement? Despite decades of investigation and numerous suspects, no one was ever charged in connection with the bombing. It remains one of Canada's largest and most frustrating unsolved mass murders, a chilling mystery that left a permanent scar on the nation's sense of security and a deep, unanswered grief for the families of the 52 victims.