Incident
A four-engine airplane departed Tokyo-Narita Airport at 2023 local time on a cargo flight to Rio de Janeiro, with intermediate stops in Los Angeles and Lima. Approximately 15 minutes after the last radio transmission with air traffic control at 2045 local time, the aircraft disappeared from radar screens while at cruising altitude. No distress call was received from the crew.
Search and Rescue
Search-and-rescue operations were immediately initiated by Japanese and American authorities. Despite extensive efforts, no trace of the aircraft or its six occupants was found, and the search was suspended after several days.
Background
The flight was carrying 53 paintings by Manabu Mabe, returning from an exhibition in Tokyo, with an estimated value of US$1.24 million. The captain, Gilberto Araújo da Silva, was the same pilot who had been flying a Varig Boeing 707 that crashed while approaching Paris-Orly Airport on July 11, 1973.
Investigation
Due to the lack of evidence—the wreckage was never located—the exact cause of the accident could not be determined. It was reported that the crew did not send any distress call, and it is believed that the accident may have been caused by a sudden and accidental decompression of the cabin.