The Unlucky Lives of the Kennedy Family

Shortly after takeoff from New Jersey on July 16, 1999, John F. Kennedy Jr.’s Piper Saratoga disappeared from radar. The night sky was hazy, and visibility over the Atlantic was poor. Air traffic controllers lost contact as the plane neared Martha’s Vineyard, sparking immediate concern from family and authorities.

A massive search began at dawn, involving the Coast Guard and Navy. For days, Americans followed the story in anguish until debris from the aircraft was found in the ocean. The bodies of John, Carolyn, and Lauren were later recovered, confirming the nation’s worst fears—that the Kennedy curse had struck again.