>>20352099
Saturday, July 17, 1999
2:15 AM: Carol Radziwill, fed up with the FAA, called the Coast Guard and set in motion a multiagency search that began with calls to regional airports.
3:28 AM: An official search and rescue mission is launched by the Coast Guard.
6:30 AM: Ted Kennedy woke up John Podesta, Clinton’s Chief of Staff.
7:00 AM: Podesta woke up Clinton.
7:15 AM: Clinton told Podesta to call the Air Force and warn them if they didn’t have a search underway in 15 minutes, they shouldn’t bother to come to work Monday morning because they would all be fired, if they weren’t in jail.
12:30 PM: U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Todd Burgun, a public information officer, holds a standard briefing, as he did in all other search and rescue operation.
12:35 PM: WCVB (Boston) news anchor Susan Warnick reports there is a significant new development in the case of Kennedy's missing plane. "We have been told by the Coast Guard that in fact there is now evidence of a last communication, last night, with JFK Jr.'s plane as it was on approach to Martha's Vineyard Airport.”
Warnick then holds a phone interview with Petty Officer Todd Burgun: “JFK, Jr. contacted the Martha’s Vineyard tower at 9:39 pm, Friday night, telling them he was descending. All I know at this time is that it was at 9:39 PM, and it was with the FAA and it was on approach."
1:00 PM – Beachgoers on a beach just a short distance from Jackie’s beach find items from plane, floating in to land. They bring them in, and phone the police.
1:55 PM – In a surprise move, the Pentagon takes over reporting of news of the crash. They deny anything Burgun had said. Burgun disappears from history.
Sunday, July 18, 1999
All Day: The search continues.
Monday, July 19, 1999
All Day: The search continues.
Tuesday, July 20, 1999
11:30 PM: A large portion of the plane's fuselage was found, by a submerged camera device.
Wednesday, July 21, 1999
1:30 AM – Divers locate JFK Jr.'s body in the cockpit, which has snapped away from the fuselage. The Bessett women are found in the fuselage. All three are strapped in their seats with seat belts.
2:30 AM: The White House is notified.
4:30 AM: The bodies are brought up. Teddy and several Kennedy men are there to accompany them. Teddy goes on board and identifies the bodies. They are then taken to Barnstable County Medical Examiner's Office in Pocasset to be autopsied.
9:30 AM: President Clinton is updated.
11:00 PM: The bodies arrive at the Duxbury Crematory, in Duxbury, Massachusetts, accompanied by several Kennedy cousins, and are cremated.
Thursday, July 22, 1999
5:00 AM: Kennedy family members leave the Crematory with the ashes.
9:00 AM: The Kennedys and Bessetts board the destroyer USS Briscoe. They travel 20 miles out to sea, where they scatter the ashes, from a small platform on the lower rear of the ship.
Friday, July 23, 1999
11:00 AM: A memorial service for JFK Jr. and Carolyn is held at St. Thomas More church in New York City.
7:00 PM: A memorial service for Lauren Bessette is held at Christ Church in Greenwich, Connecticut.