BOLIVIA, N.C. — Community members, county leaders, and families of victims gathered on Monday, January 5 to honor the 34 lives lost in the crash of National Airlines Flight 2511, which went down near Galloway Road in Bolivia 66 years ago.
The January 6, 1960 crash killed all 29 passengers and five crew members aboard the New York‑to‑Miami flight. Investigators later determined the incident was the second‑known bombing of a commercial airliner in the United States.
Brunswick County Commissioners joined residents and descendants of those affected to unveil a memorial plaque at the Bolivia Volunteer Fire Department. The plaque recognizes both the victims and the local residents who responded in the aftermath of the tragedy.
In April 2025, commissioners approved a resolution supporting the placement of a North Carolina Highway Historical Marker at the crash site. That effort remains underway and requires approval from the state’s Highway Historical Marker Advisory Committee.
The commemoration was supported by the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources and the Bolivia Fire Department.
Thank you for this. I am the daughter of 2 of the passengers who started a GOFUNDME for this memorial. I am so grateful to the Bolivia Volunteer Fire Chief for his support.