Top 10 Creepiest Real-Life Expedition Mysteries
#10: The Corte-Reals
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The Corte-Real family of explorers consisted of brothers Gaspar and Miguel and their father João Vaz. Their voyages were sponsored by the Portuguese Crown, and it’s believed that they reached various parts of Eastern Canada, including the province of Newfoundland. In 1501, Gaspar endeavored on an expedition that landed in what is presumed to be Labrador. While there, his expedition captured dozens of indigenous citizens and brought them back to Portugal. However, the ship containing Gaspar was lost on the return voyage and was never recovered. Miguel set out to find his brother, but one of the three ships - the same one Miguel was on - failed to show up at a planned rendezvous. Both Corte-Real brothers were lost at sea, in the same area and under similar circumstances.
#9: The Vivaldi Expedition
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Like the previous story, this one concerns two brothers - those of Vandino and Ugolino Vivaldi, two 13th century Genoese explorers. Their expedition left Genoa in May of 1291, in search of an ocean route from Europe to India. The expedition reportedly sailed down the Moroccan coast and made its way to modern day Cape Nun. However, this was the last known sighting of the brothers, and they disappeared shortly after. Years later, Ugolino’s son Sorleone searched for his father and uncle, to no avail. Another sailor, Antoniotto Uso di Mare claimed to have met the descendants of the survivors of the Vivaldi expedition. The descendants maintained that one ship was stranded while the other was captured.
#8: Naomi Uemura
When you think of “failed expeditions,” you typically think of old timey stories involving wooden ships. But not so with Naomi Uemura. This Japanese adventurer was famous for doing strenuous activities completely solo, like reaching the North Pole and rafting the entire length of the Amazon River. In February of 1984, Uemura was attempting to climb Denali - the highest mountain in North America. He reported making it to the top but failed to reach base camp in the following days. Rescue efforts were further delayed, as they feared offending the solo adventurer. Much of his gear was eventually recovered around 17,000 feet, but there was no sign of Uemura. The leading theory is that he fell, injured himself, and was subsequently buried by the heavy snow.
#7: James Knight
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The Northwest Passage has claimed many lives, perhaps most famously those of the ill-fated Franklin expedition. It also claimed the life of James Knight, the director of the Hudson’s Bay Company. Knight set out with the Albany and the Discovery ships in 1719 to locate the Northwest Passage, but they were never seen again. Research indicates that they likely grounded in shallow water and made their way to Marble Island in modern day Nunavut, where they interacted with the local Inuit. A small encampment was later found on Marble Island with items belonging to the Albany and Discovery. As for the men, it was reported and remains likely that they died from natural causes, including sickness and famine.
#6: George Bass & the Venus
Bass was an British man who served as both a ship’s surgeon and explorer, famed for his expeditions to Australia. Fun fact - he was one of the very first people to describe the wombat! On February 5, 1803, Bass and his ship, Venus, set out from Australia and were never seen again. In 1806, three years after Venus's departure, Bass was officially declared lost at sea. It’s unclear what happened to the ship, although many fanciful explanations have been put forth, like the crew being captured by the Spanish and sent to work in their silver mines. It makes for a good story, but it’s an unproven one nonetheless. It’s likely that they sunk at sea, but this, too, remains unconfirmed.
#5: Ludwig Leichhardt
Another famous explorer of Australia was Germany’s Ludwig Leichhardt. Leichhardt primarily explored north and central Australia, with his first expedition reaching as far south as Brisbane. In 1848, Leichhardt began his journey from the Condamine River in the hopes of getting to Swan River. The expedition was last seen in the Darling Downs on April 3, 1848. Despite numerous search parties, very little evidence of Leichhardt's expedition was found, aside from some tree engravings, a small brass plate, and some artifacts found with native Aborigines, although their link to Leichardt remains mere speculation. It’s believed that the expedition either perished from natural causes in the Great Sandy Desert or were taken by the locals.
#4: The Lapérouse Expedition
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Lieutenant La Pérouse was a French naval officer who was personally appointed by Louis XVI to lead a scientific expedition around the world in the late 18th century. Their objectives were numerous, like completing unfinished maps, establishing trade allies, and discovering new ocean routes. Setting sail in 1785, the expedition disappeared in 1788 following a stop in Australia, and it’s said that Louis XVI asked about the status of Lapérouse on the morning of his execution. It would be centuries until small answers were given. After taking off, the ships had reportedly wrecked on the coral reefs of Vanikoro, and it’s said that a large majority of the survivors were slaughtered by the locals. The survivors of the massacre sailed west, but what happened to them remains a mystery.
#3: Percy Fawcett
Readers of “The Lost City of Z” (or fans of the Amazon movie) will certainly know the exciting story of Percy Fawcett. Fawcett was a British archaeologist who vehemently believed in the existence of Z, a supposed lost city located in the jungles of Brazil. In 1925, Fawcett, his son, and his son’s friend set out to find Z. Their last known communication was on May 29, when Fawcett sent a letter to his wife. Countless theories have been put forth regarding the expedition’s fate, with some claiming that they died of natural causes in the forest while others claim that their lives were ended by an unwelcoming local tribe. We’d like to believe that they found some lost, mythical city and ended up staying there, but the truth is likely far more tragic.
#2: Amelia Earhart
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The story of Amelia Earhart is perhaps the most famous aviation-based tale in modern history, and it seems like every year we get some “answer” regarding her ultimate fate. While she’s now known as “that pilot who disappeared,” she was enormously popular in the early 20th century for her numerous aviation accomplishments. In 1937, both Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan attempted to circumnavigate the globe in a Lockheed Model 10-E Electra but disappeared somewhere around Hawaii. Literally countless theories have been put forth regarding their ultimate fate, like living “Cast Away” style on Gardner Island and getting captured by the Japanese. Unfortunately, the truth is likely far more mundane - they ran out of fuel and crashed into the Pacific.
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
Richard Halliburton
He Disappeared Attempting to Sail the Sea Dragon Across the Pacific
Daniel Houghton
He Likely Starved in the Sahara & His Body Was Picked Clean by Scavengers
Abu Bakr II [aka Abubakri]
The Ninth Mansa of the Mali Empire Abdicated His Throne in Favor of Ocean Exploration
Peng Jiamu
Chinese Explorer Who Likely Dehydrated in the Lop Nur Desert
George Mallory
Famous Climber Disappeared on Everest for 75 Years Until His Body Was Found in 1999
#1: The Dyatlov Pass Incident
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Much (read, much) has been made of the Dyatlov Pass incident, and it dwarfs the Earhart disappearance in terms of outlandish conspiracy theories. The basic story is that nine Russian hikers passed away on the slopes of Kholat Syakhl in the late 1950s, leaving behind some mysterious evidence. They had reportedly fled from their tent in a panic, and their bodies showed signs of trauma. It’s undoubtedly quite a story, but much like Earhart, the truth surrounding their fates is likely mundane. That is, an avalanche forced them to flee the tent quickly, they grew disoriented in the dark, and died of exhaustion and hypothermia. As for the missing organs, that was nothing but hungry animals happening upon the bodies. Or it could be aliens?
