Throughout history, explorers have daringly adventured into the great unknown. The range of explorers striking gold and then sadly disappearing into the abyss is startling, to say the least. We’ll look at various explorers who weren’t so lucky in their journeying exploits and seemingly vanished into thin air.
1. Percy Fawcett (1925)
Percy Fawcett was last seen in Brazil’s seemingly infinite, ever-mysterious Amazon Rainforest. The mission was centered on finding the mythical lost city of Z. The theories about Fawcett’s disappearance suggest they were killed by indigenous tribes, starved, or ended up succumbing to disease.
2. Amelia Earhart (1937)
Amelia Earhart is a name you hear thrown around quite a bit for her legendary accomplishments. She was last seen flying over the Pacific Ocean, and her mission was to be the first woman to fly around the world. The theories about what happened to Earhart are that she could’ve crashed into the ocean, been captured, or ended up living in secrecy.
3. Alfred Loewenstein (1928)
Alfred Loewenstein was last spotted out over the English Channel. It’s suggested by historians that his mission was related to his business ventures. Unfortunately, he vanished mid-flight, and some suspect that he fell or was even pushed from his private plane under unknown circumstances.
4. Jean-François de Galaup, Comte de Lapérouse (1788)
This emboldened explorer was last seen near the Solomon Islands. Their mission was focused on the French global exploration, and the theories were that there was a shipwreck during a storm, or that they were killed by locals.
5. Henry Hudson (1611)
Henry Hudson was last spotted out in Hudson Bay in Canada. His mission was dedicated to locating the Northwest Passage. The theories surrounding Hudson’s mysterious appearance are that he was mutinied by his crew and then left to die in the Arctic.
6. Roald Amundsen (1928)
Roald Amundsen was last spotted in the Arctic Ocean. His mission was to find an Italian airship that had gone missing. The theories about Amundsen’s disappearance though are that his plane crashed into the sea, and his death within the icy waters occurred shortly thereafter.
7. John Cabot (1498)
John Cabot was last seen out in the North Atlantic Ocean. His mission was to search for a viable route to Asia. He could’ve ended up lost in a storm, attacked, or shipwrecked because his mission ended up being unsuccessful.
8. Lionel Wafer (1690s)
Lionel Wafer was last seen in Central America while leading the exploration of Panama. However, Wafter ended up mysteriously vanishing due to potentially being killed in conflict or even vanishing into a new society altogether.
9. Peter Tessem and Paul Knutsen (1919)
These explorers were last seen while exploring the Russian Arctic. Their mission was to continue exploring the seemingly infinite, impossibly cold waters of the Arctic Ocean. However, they would end up vanishing. Potentially perishing in the cold, getting lost at sea, or even devastatingly succumbing to starvation.
10. Joshua Slocum (1909)
Joshua Slocum was last seen while exploring the Caribbean Sea. He was the first man to ever sail solo around the world in its entirety. The theories surrounding Slocum’s disappearance are that his boat was lost in a storm, capsized, or that he was attacked by pirates. A tough way to go out.
11. Ludwig Leichhardt (1848)
Ludwig was last seen out in the Australian Outback while attempting to cross Australia from the east to the west. Talk about a bold undertaking, to say the least. The theories are that Ludwig perished from dying of thirst, was attacked, or got lost out in the desert.
12. Miguel de Carvajal (1540s)
This explorer was last seen while out in the Amazon Rainforest. Their mission was a Spanish expedition to explore the Amazon. The theories encircling what could’ve happened to them was that they were ambushed, or ended up succumbing to disease.
13. Ambrose Bierce (1913)
Ambrose Bierce was last seen out in Mexico. Their mission was centered on journeying with the purpose being to observe the Mexican Revolution. The theories about what could’ve happened to Bierce are that they were executed by revolutionaries, or disappeared by their desire to do so.
14. Eudoxus of Cyzicus (circa 120 BCE)
This explorer was last seen in either West Africa or the Indian Ocean. They were attempting to circumnavigate Africa and could’ve ended up lost at sea or outright perishing in an unknown land.
15. Harold Holt (1967)
Harold Holt was last seen out in Cheviot Beach in Australia. His mission was actually unknown but it’s suggested that he could’ve disappeared while swimming, gotten taken in by a submarine, or even ended up faking his own death.
