Eagles of Death Metal
On November 13, 2015, the Eagles of Death Metal were performing in the Bataclan Theater in Paris when four terrorists attacked the audience. On the left, Gilles Leclerc is smiling in a picture taken by his partner Marianne Labanane before the show began.
Unfortunately, Gilles and 88 other people didn’t survive the attack. Three out of the five band members made it outside the theatre, while the other two had to find a hidden spot and wait for rescuers. The terrorists were packed with grenades, automatic rifles, and suicide vests. This photo was taken just a few moments before four gunmen stormed into the Bataclan.
Bear Attacks Hiker
These hikers' lives changed in a matter of seconds. The group was enjoying a day hike on September 21, 2014, when a black bear, which weighed approximately 300 pounds, attacked Darsh Patel, one of the students of the group.
Unfortunately, Darsh died that day at only 22 years old. The tragedy was captured by the victim moments before the bear attacked him. Darsh’s phone was later found in the woods with marks of the bear’s bite.
Boy Fell Off A Plane
This picture, taken half a decade ago, was taken by John Gilspin, an amateur photographer who was happy to be photographing planes during take-off, as he had bought a new camera. He didn’t know that he would capture a tragedy.
Keith Sapsford was a 14-year-old boy from Sydney who had an adventurous -and rather killer- spirit. He purposely climbed into the plane as he wanted to see the world from a better perspective. The boy fell 200 feet after the plane took off.
Patrick Swayze
Actor Patrick Swayze enjoyed his golden years between 1980 and 1999 when he starred in blockbuster movies such as Dirty Dancing and Ghost. He was also a great dancer, singer and songwriter.
Patrick was diagnosed with stage IV pancreatic cancer in 2008. Even though he fought against the illness with chemotherapy, the actor died on September 14, 2009, surrounded by family. This is a picture of Patrick in his final days.
Teacher Sacrifice
The Columbine High School massacre in Colorado was one of the most tragic events of 1999. Teens Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold shot and killed 15 people and injured 24 students. One of the victims was William Dave Sanders, who is seen in the picture.
Sanders was a school teacher who, instead of seeking shelter, ran towards the cafeteria to warn students about the shooters. Even though he saved hundreds of students, he couldn’t save himself, as he was shot twice by the teens in a hallway.
Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571
This picture was taken after the Uruguayan Flight 571, also known as the Miracle of the Andes or the Andes flight disaster, crashed into the Andes Mountains. The airplane took off in Montevideo, Uruguay and was expected to land in Santiago, Chile, but never made it.
On October 13th, 1972, the chartered flight crashed into the Andes Mountains. Out of 48 people on board, 29 of them survived the crash. Unfortunately, 13 people died of starvation, exposure, and even an avalanche. The remaining 16 survivors were found 72 days after the crash.
The Snake King
Ali Khan Bin Samsuddin was a well-known snake charmer. Born in Malaysia, Samduddin was famous for spending 40 days of his life in a tiny room where he lived with 400 cobras. He obtained the “Scorpion King” title and reached the 1998 Guinness Book after living with 6,000 scorpions for 21 days.
Samsuddin was only 48 years old when he was killed by a cobra which he was trying to charm. The picture was taken moments after the cobra bit him. A small bite ended the snake charmer’s life in 2006.
Air France Flight 4590
The tragedy of Air France Flight 4590 left no survivors. The fatal accident took place on July 25, 2000. The flight was intended to arrive in New York, but it couldn’t even take off, as it overran debris which caused the tire to blow out and the fuel tank to rupture.
The plane crashed into a hotel after the engine caught on fire. There were one hundred passengers on board, and all of them tragically died that day. Nine crew members also lost their lives. This is Concorde’s first and only tragedy.
Ayrton Senna
Born in Brazil, Ayrton Senna was a top Formula One driver. His last competition took place on May 1, 1994, in the San Marino Grand Prix in Italy. Senna was driving at 135.4 mph when he crashed into a concrete barrier and died.
This picture was taken moments before the race started. An Italian court later determined that Senna’s car suffered from a mechanical failure, which most disagreed with. His tragedy brought several new safety measures in Formula One.
Hot Air Balloon Tragedy
What happened on January 7, 2012, in Carterton, New Zealand, had only happened twice before, according to the history of hot air balloon fatalities. This balloon failed to land due to a power lines collision and tragically caught on fire. Everyone on board died, including 10 passengers and the pilot.
According to investigators, the balloon pilot made an error in judgment as he failed to act properly when there was contact with the power lines. Toxicology tests determined that the pilot was under the influence of cannabis while flying the balloon, which proves why he committed such a mistake.
The 1943 Catastrophe
William Dee Becker was the mayor of St. Louis and co-founder of Lambert’s Field. During World War II, Becker owned a business that built gliders for the war. These army gliders were meant to transport both soldiers and equipment.
On August 1, 1943, Becker and nine politicians were inside a military glider for a demonstration. This picture was taken moments before a C-47 plane pulled them away. Unfortunately, the glider had its wing folded, which caused it to crash into the ground.
Titanic
The ship, which was built to be unsinkable, struck an iceberg 375 miles away from Newfoundland at midnight on April 14, 1912. The Titanic was sailing the world from Europe to the United States. It was a promising ship.
Out of 2,224 passengers on board, only 705 survived, mainly first-class passengers. The help arrived too late, as the survivors were the ones on the boats. In this picture, the Titanic is departing from Queenstown. This is probably the last picture of the Titanic still afloat.
Pacific Southwest Airlines Flight 182
It was the morning of September 25, 1978, when Pacific Southwest Airlines Flight 182 took off from Sacramento. The commercial airline was intended to land in Los Angeles, but it couldn’t make it. There were 128 passengers and seven crew members on board.
While flying over San Diego, California, the Boeing 727-214 collided with a small private Cessna aircraft. There were no survivors. Seven people passing by were additionally killed on the ground as a result of the collision.
John Lennon
Singer John Lennon thought he was surrounded by fans outside his residence in New York City. Who would have thought that the man standing behind him, Mark David Chapman, was planning to shoot Lennon 10 minutes after this picture was taken?
Three days before the singer's death, Lennon shared deep words while being interviewed by Rolling Stone magazine: "Give peace a chance, not shoot people for peace. All we need is love.” He’ll always be remembered as a legend.
The Station Nightclub Fire
On February 20, 2003, one of the deadliest nightclub fires in U.S. history took place. The Station went up in flames after the Great White’s tour manager set off fireworks which caused the walls and ceilings of The Station to catch on fire, as it contained a flammable acoustic foam material.
The picture shows the moment the band guitarist realized the place was on fire. This tragic event left a hundred people dead and 230 people badly injured. Only 132 people left the place unharmed.
Paul Walker
The world was shocked to see the news of Paul Walker’s death, which occurred inside his Porsche. Paul was well-known for his roles in Fast & Furious, the films that mainly dealt with illegal street racing and fast, expensive cars.
When he passed away, he was in the process of shooting Fast & Furious 7, for which his brother was called upon to film the remaining scenes. The car was driven by his friend, who crashed and got both of them killed.
Ebola Virus
The first recorded case of Ebola virus disease was from Zaïre, now the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The virus was named after the river located nearby, the Ebola River. In 1976, an Ebola outbreak took the lives of 280 people, out of 318 infected.
Nurse Mayinga N’Seka was photographed days before she was infected with the virus and died. She was thought to be the index case, but later investigators found out that the index case was a 44-year-old man from Yambuku.
Ian Kevin Curtis
Lead singer of the band Joy Division Ian Curtis was an English musician and songwriter. Even though the band was very successful, Curtis had a hard time, as he suffered from depression and epilepsy.
When the English band was on tour and was about to perform for the first time on a North American stage, a tragic event took place. The celebrity committed suicide hours before the show. This picture was taken five days before his death.
Notorious B.I.G.
Rapper and producer Christopher Wallace had an unfortunate fate. He was known as Notorious B.I.G. or Biggie Smalls. His work was considered highly influential in the rap industry.
On March 9, 1997, the 24-year-old rapper lost his life after being shot outside a club. The shooter quickly drove away, so his identity remains unknown. Wallace left unpublished work behind, so after his death, two albums were published, which sold 17 million copies in the USA alone.
George Mallory And Sandy Irvine
George Herbert Leigh Mallory was a mountaineer who participated in the British Mount Everest expedition in 1921 and a second and third expedition in 1922 and 1924, respectively. He didn’t know that the third expedition would be his last.
In the third expedition, George was climbing with Andrew Sandy Irvine. This is the last picture of them. Afterward, they both disappeared on the northeast ridge of Everest. It’s still a mystery whether or not the couple reached the summit. George’s body wasn’t found until 1999.
Final Public Performance
Singer Johnny Cash gave his last public performance on July 15, 2003, at The Carter Ranch in Hiltons, VA. The 71-year old celebrity performed for 30 minutes without knowing that it would be his final goodbye to his audience and fans.
Cash had gone through several health issues. The singer died two months after his final performance, on September 12, 2003, as a result of a diabetes complication that turned into a respiratory failure.
Niagara Falls Jet Ski Jump Gone Wrong
Californian Robert Overacker was one of the brave men who dared to jet ski over Niagara Falls. The 39-year-old man wasn’t risking his life just for fun; he was doing it to raise awareness for the homeless. Unfortunately, his performance ended in tragedy.
Robert was skiing toward the Falls when he reached the brink and tried to discharge the parachute, but he couldn’t. The parachute didn’t work, and Robert fell into the water. He was taken to Niagara General Hospital, where he died.
Sabena Flight 548
Sabena Flight 548 was a flight that took off from New York City and headed to Brussels, Belgium. On board, the 1961 U.S. figure skating team was eager to participate in the World Figure Skating Championship in Prague. But they never made it.
Unfortunately, the Boeing 707-329 flight crashed when it was about to land in the Brussels airport. There were no survivors; all 72 people on board died in the accident. Another fatal victim is the farmer who owned the land where the airplane crashed.
Malaysia Airlines Flight 17
The tragedy of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 of July 17, 2014, left no survivors. It was a Boeing 777-200ER, with 283 passengers and 15 crew members on board. The aircraft took off in Amsterdam and was intended to land in Kuala Lumpur, but it was shot down over eastern Ukraine.
Who shot down the plane remains a total mystery. A thorough investigation was conducted, which concluded that Russia was responsible. However, the country denies any participation in such a tragic event.
The Challenger Crew
This photo shows the last moments of the crew as they were boarding the space shuttle Challenger. All seven crew members tragically died after the Challenger came apart on January 28, 1986.
The crew was part of one of the several 1986 NASA missions. The mission was scheduled to last for six days, but it only lasted 73 seconds. It was the 25th mission in NASA's program.
9/11
On the morning of September 11, 2001, the United States was a victim of four terrorist attacks perpetrated by an al-Qaida group. Terrorists hijacked four commercial flights in order to make them crash into important NYC and Washington buildings. Almost three thousand people lost their lives.
The picture portrays the moment the United Airlines Flight 175 crashed into one of the World Trade Center towers at 9:03 a.m. The casualties included people inside the building, firefighters and law enforcement officers.
Japan Air Flight 123
Japan Airlines Flight 123 took off on August 12, 1985, from Tokyo’s Haneda Airport. The aircraft was intended to land in Osaka International Airport but never made it. The Boeing 747SR suffered a decompression after 12 minutes of flying and crashed in Mount Takamagahara 32 minutes later.
The officer who carried out the investigation determined that mechanics failed to properly repair the aircraft, which caused the decompression. Only four people survived, as all 15 crew members and 505 passengers died that day.
William McKinley
William McKinley was the 25th president of the United States. McKinley didn’t want to deploy security guards when attending social events. On September 6, 1901, he was shot twice in the abdomen by Leon Czolgosz, a steelworker who was an anarchist.
This is the picture taken of the former president the moment he entered the Temple of Music in New York. McKinley died 8 days after the shooting, caused by gangrenous wounds. McKinley was the third president to be killed. Abraham Lincoln and James A. Garfield had the same cruel fate.
Robin Williams
Robin Williams was a famous actor, well-known for his comedy films. On August 11, 2014, Robin committed suicide. His wife later stated that the celebrity was dealing with depression and anxiety. He was also diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
Robin made us laugh countless times. Not only was he an outstanding comedian, but also a good man. His kindness and humbleness were spotted miles away. Robin was approached by a fan a couple of days before, with whom he took a picture.
James Dean
On September 30, 1955, 24-year-old actor James Dean tragically died in a car accident. The famous celebrity who starred in Rebel Without a Cause was heading to a sports racing competition when he crashed his Porsche.
James was traveling with his mechanic, Rolf Wütherich. Fortunately, Rolf survived the accident but was left with several injuries which required surgery. James suffered severe internal and external injuries and a broken neck.
Mt. St. Helens
Mt. St. Helens in Washington is an active volcano that erupted in 1980, causing a major disaster. Photographer Robert Landsburg was at the scene when it happened.
He managed to take this picture of a wall of ash coming his way, which would shortly after kill him. The film survived because it was hidden under his body.
Omagh Bombing
The Omagh Bombing took place in Omagh, Northern Ireland, in 1998. A dissident paramilitary group placed a bomb in the red car that can be seen in this picture.
The bomb went off shortly after this picture was taken, and 29 people lost their lives. Luckily, the man and his daughter survived, but the photographer didn't.
TransAsia Airways Flight 235
TransAsia Airways Flight 235 was a domestic flight in Taiwan that crashed into the Keelung River shortly after takeoff on February 4, 2015.
A dashcam on the highway captured the last moments before the plane hit the ground. Out of its 53 passengers and 5 crew members, 15 people survived.
Harambe
You may have heard of Harambe, a gorilla from the Cincinnati Zoo, because he became a meme in 2016. However, the story behind this internet sensation is tragic.
A child climbed into the gorilla enclosure and was dragged by Harambe, who was shot and killed by a zoo worker shortly after this picture was taken in order to save the boy. The use of lethal force was criticized by many people, who believed the gorilla did not need to die.
Bear Attack
This picture shows a 300-pound black bear in the woods of West Milford's Apshawa Preserve. It was taken by a hiker, who noticed the bear approaching.
Sadly, not long after, the bear attacked the hiker and took his life. The police found the photo on his phone, which had bear bite marks on it.
Nicholas Mevoli
Nicholas Mevoli was an accomplished free diver. After participating in several free-diving competitions, he decided to break a record at the Vertical Blue competition in the Bahamas.
He wanted to reach a depth of 315 feet, but had to turn back at 260 feet after running out of air. Two days later, he tried again, but this time, he lost consciousness and died. This picture was taken before his last dive.
Ayano Tokumasu
Ayano Tokumasu was a 19-year-old Japanese girl who studied in Canada. Two weeks into her trip, she visited the Niagara Falls. This couple unknowingly took the last picture of the girl, who can be seen in the back wearing red.
Some witnesses say she straddled the railing, lost her footing, and accidentally fell to her death shortly thereafter. However, others believe she did this willingly.
Archduke Franz Ferdinand
Archduke Franz Ferdinand's assassination was the event that triggered World War I. He was the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, and he and his wife were murdered in 1914.
This picture was taken shortly before the tragic event. A group of six assassins intercepted the couple as they were making their way to the Town Hall of Sarajevo, Bosnia.
Chris McCandless
Chris McCandless became known for living a nomadic lifestyle. So much so, that the novel and movie Into the Wild were made after him. He lived in the wild and hunted to feed himself.
This is the last picture of Chris ever taken. In 1992, his body was found. The official cause of death was starvation, though it is unclear how he got to that point, since he was skilled at finding food in the wild.
Pavel Kashin's Last Stunt
Pavel Kashin was a Russian parkour artist based in St. Petersburg. He was known for performing very dangerous stunts and, in 2013, he met his end that way.
This image was captured moments before Kashin lost his footing and fell down the 16-story building where he was performing a stunt. He did a backflip successfully, but once he landed, he tripped and fell.
Princess Diana
Princess Diana's tragic passing was one of the most publicized events in the 1990s. The British royal was in Paris with her boyfriend, her bodyguard, and her driver when it happened.
Paparazzi were following the vehicle and snapping pictures of the princess, and this image was the last photo of her alive. Shortly thereafter, the vehicle crashed and killed everyone in it.
George Mallory & Andrew Irvine
This photo shows mountaineers George Mallory and Sandy Irvine getting ready for their last expedition: their ascent of Mt. Everest. The adventurous couple started their climb but never made it back.
Their were presumed dead, and nobody knew what happened to them for 75 years. Mallory's body was found in the 1990s, while Irvine's body was never found. It is believed they slipped and fell.
Budd Dwyer
Budd Dwyer was the State Treasurer of Pennsylvania from 1981 to 1987. In 1986, it was discovered that Dwyer had accepted a bribe and was found guilty on 11 different counts.
A day before his sentencing, Dwyer called for a press conference which aired live on television. Then, he shot himself in front of the cameras. This photo was taken seconds before.
Joseph Avery
Joseph Avery was sailing his boat in the Niagara River with two friends when the strong currents made them crash into a rock. His two friends died instantly, but Joseph managed to hold on to a log.
He held on to the log for 18 hours before losing strength and being swept away to his death. This photo shows him stranded on the log while waiting for rescue services to get to him.