Exploration is a risky business. Many brave adventurers have ventured into unknown lands, seas, and skies, only to never return. Some of them left behind clues, others vanished without a trace. Here are five cases of explorers who disappeared into thin air, and the mysteries that surround them.
▪Amelia Earhart
Amelia Earhart was a pioneering aviator who set many records and became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. In 1937, she attempted to circumnavigate the globe in a Lockheed Electra plane, along with her navigator Fred Noonan. On July 2, they took off from Lae, New Guinea, heading for Howland Island in the Pacific Ocean. They never arrived. Despite an extensive search, no trace of the plane or the pilots was ever found.
There are many theories about what happened to Earhart and Noonan, ranging from mechanical failure, to navigational error, to capture by the Japanese. Some believe they crashed and sank in the ocean, others that they landed on a remote island and died there. Some even claim that they survived and assumed new identities. The mystery remains unsolved to this day.
▪John Franklin
John Franklin was a British naval officer and explorer who led several expeditions to the Arctic. In 1845, he embarked on his final voyage, with the aim of finding the Northwest Passage, a sea route connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans through the Canadian Arctic. He had two ships, the HMS Erebus and the HMS Terror, and 129 men. They were well-equipped with supplies, weapons, and scientific instruments. They were never seen again by Europeans.
The fate of Franklin and his men was one of the greatest mysteries of the 19th century. Many search parties were sent to look for them, but only found scattered remains, artifacts, and messages. It was later revealed that the ships had become trapped in ice, and the men had tried to walk to safety, but succumbed to starvation, disease, exposure, and possibly cannibalism. The wrecks of the Erebus and the Terror were only discovered in 2014 and 2016, respectively.
▪Percy Fawcett
Percy Fawcett was a British soldier, archaeologist, and explorer who was fascinated by the Amazon rainforest. He made several expeditions to South America, mapping the terrain and searching for ancient civilizations. He became obsessed with the idea of a lost city he called "Z", which he believed was hidden in the Brazilian jungle. In 1925, he set out on his final expedition, with his son Jack and his friend Raleigh Rimell. They entered the jungle with a few local guides, and were never heard from again.
Fawcett's disappearance sparked a media frenzy and inspired many adventurers to follow his footsteps. Some claimed to have found evidence of his fate, others of his city. None of them were conclusive. Fawcett's fate remains a mystery, as does the existence of Z.
▪George Mallory
George Mallory was a British mountaineer who participated in the first three expeditions to Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world. He was determined to reach the summit, which had never been done before. In 1924, he and his climbing partner Andrew Irvine made a final attempt, using oxygen tanks to aid their ascent. They were last seen alive on June 8, climbing near the top of the mountain. They did not return to their camp.
The question of whether Mallory and Irvine reached the summit before they died has been a subject of debate and speculation for decades. Mallory carried a camera with him, which could have provided evidence, but it was never found. Irvine's body was never found either. Mallory's body was discovered in 1999, at an altitude of 8,155 meters (26,760 feet). He had a broken leg, a rope around his waist, and severe frostbite. His clothing and equipment were well-preserved by the cold.
▪Ambrose Bierce
Ambrose Bierce was an American writer, journalist, and satirist, best known for his short stories and his witty definitions of common words. He was also a veteran of the American Civil War, and had a keen interest in military affairs. In 1913, at the age of 71, he decided to travel to Mexico, which was in the midst of a revolution. He wanted to witness the conflict and write about it. He crossed the border in October, and joined the army of Pancho Villa, a rebel leader. He wrote a letter to a friend on December 26, saying that he was leaving for an unknown destination. That was the last anyone heard from him.
Bierce's disappearance has been the source of much speculation and fiction. Some believe he was killed by Villa's enemies, others that he committed suicide, others that he faked his death and lived under a different name. Some even suggest that he traveled to other countries, or to other dimensions. His fate is unknown, as is his final resting place.
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