The explosion on Canadian Pacific Flight 21 in 1965
On July 8, 1965, a bomb exploded on Canadian Pacific Flight 21 over British Columbia's remote wilderness, scattering wreckage over a 1-mile area. All 52 people on board lost their lives, and the cause of the crime and its motive remain a mystery. "Uncover: Bomb on Board," part of CBC's renowned podcast series Uncover, brought this deeply tragic and unsolved case back into the spotlight in 2018. Led by the experienced Ian Hanomansing and climate journalist Johanna Wagstaffe, the series explores the investigation with modern methods and exclusive interviews. The six gripping episodes can be streamed on popular platforms like CBC Listen and Apple Podcasts.
Advanced technology reopens an old criminal mystery
The podcast distinguishes itself by skillfully blending historical recordings with modern technology. This provides a more nuanced picture of both the case and the police investigation, making the extent of the errors clear. Rather than merely retelling the cold, hard facts, the production, under journalist Polly Leger's leadership, uses sophisticated 3D scanning of wreckage and expert assessments from former TSB member Larry Vance and explosive specialist Tom Sterling. Leger's meticulous approach avoids sensationalism and highlights the missteps made by the RCMP, especially their decision to close the case without a trial in 1970. The result is a powerful combination of reviving a neglected miscarriage of justice and a thorough examination of human error and loss of trust in the system.
Award-winning documentary reopens police cases
"Uncover: Bomb on Board" has not only received recognition through awards like the RTDNA Network Award in 2019, but has also garnered enough attention to lead to a reopening of police archive cases the following year. The series connects to the true crime genre by drawing inspiration from successes like "Serial," while managing to stand uniquely by highlighting the structural negligence that often characterizes historical injustices. It is a captivating story of forgotten betrayal, but even more profound is the story of systemic vulnerabilities and the still-resonating, unanswered questions that trail a closed chapter in Canada's legal history. With themes like planes, bombs, and mass death, listeners are captivated by both the story and the unresolved cases still seeking answers in this podcast about a Canadian nightmare.