We all know how disasters happen each and every day. Still, some of them are more prolific than others. At times, people manage to capture these haunting images moments before things would happen. On the other hand, others seem to be completely oblivious to what is going on around them, as if they don’t have a care in the world. We decided to compile some of the best and most chilling photos around for your enjoyment.
Face To Face
20-year-old Maqsood Khan decided to jump into the tiger’s den while visiting the New Delhi zoo in India. Why? We don’t know. Well, people nearby couldn’t do anything but hold their breath as they watched the tiger walk up to the man and assess him for a solid 15 minutes. The tiger just stood in front of him while Khan prayed silently.
Face To Face
After a while, bystanders decided they would “help” by throwing rocks at the tiger. They wanted to distract it, but it seriously backfired. It only angered the giant cat, causing it to attack the man in front of him. Reports have suggested that the man was struggling with some kind of mental illness.
Final Moments
Known as ‘Left Eye’, Lisa Lopes was a viral sensation due to the fact that she was on the famous girl band, TLC. While recording some video diaries for her fans, she found herself having to swerve sharply out of the way as a truck that was headed straight for her.
Final Moments
At 30 years old, her career had just been taking off. She won four Grammys before her life tragically ended. This photo is a screencap from a video showing Lopes’ final moments. She had two other passengers in the car who had survived the crash. Sadly, she didn’t.
Plane Crash
The horrific TransAsia crash was tragic. Even more so due to the fact that it was avoidable. It happened in February back in 2015 and was a short, domestic flight. Soon after the plane took off, its 58 passengers were in serious danger.
Plane Crash
There are reports that claim the pilot said he ‘pulled back the wrong side throttle’. Hundreds of people watched hopelessly from a distance as the airplane crashed into the Keelung River. 42 out of the 58 people inside hadn’t survived the crash. It was already too late.
The Tsunami
Lots of people will remember what happened in 2004. Hearing about the devastating tsunami in South-East Asia was awful. Both locals and tourists who were visiting were claimed in the terrifying event. Over 200,000 lives were lost.
The Tsunami
Each one of those people had possessions, some of which were reclaimed after the event. One person who was lost as a result was 31-Deborah Garlick, who happened to be on vacation. This photo was sent to her parents after they recovered some of her belongings.
The Challenger
A lot of people know that being an astronaut is one of the most dangerous things to do. The astronauts in this photo had no reason to think anything would go wrong on their mission. Challenger had landed nine times before the takeoff finally happened.
The Challenger
This time, however, one crucial part broke within 73 seconds of takeoff. None of the astronauts survived the crash. It was a horrible shock to everyone who watched, but especially to the families of the astronauts and those involved.
High Up
There was a time when people began taking rather extreme measures to get a good selfie. They would locate dangerous places and take photos of themselves. That’s what 18-year-old Xenia Ignatyeva was doing when she decided to climb 30 feet up a bridge.
High Up
While she did fall off the bridge, that’s not what ended her life. She tried grabbing onto anything in order to break her fall and found electrical wires. You can imagine how 1,500 volts was more than enough to end her life.
The Titanic
We’re sure you’ve heard of the Titanic, seeing as it’s one of the most famous ships in the world. Ironically, it’s known for the disaster than tragically sunk it. The famous tragedy involved an iceberg that the ‘unsinkable’ ship hit. Thanks to the arrogance surrounding this ship, there weren’t enough lifeboats or jackets to save everyone on board from a terrible end.
The Titanic
Most people have seen the renowned movie, without a doubt. In a way, it helps make the tragedy feel less real seeing as it’s a movie. All the same, almost 1,500 people lost their lives as a result of the famous tragedy.
Lightning Strike
This probably seemed hilarious at the time this photo was taken. The two brothers here, Sean and Michael, took the picture while on a camping trip. Little did they know that Sequoia National Park was going to be hit by lightning.
Lightning Strike
Mere moments after this picture was taken, both brothers were struck by lightning. The odds of that are less than minimal, and yet… Still, both boys survived and kept going with their lives. This picture is definitely going to be a special one for them.
Falling
Some people enjoy getting an adrenaline rush from doing some crazy stunts. Pavel Kashin was one of those people. He was capable of performing so very impressive moves. After doing stunts thousands of times, it seemed like nothing could go wrong.
Falling
Unfortunately, things went sideways when he stood on the ledge of a 16-floor building and tried doing a backflip. He landed it, but when he got it, he lost his footing and fell. Bystanders could do nothing but watch as he fell to his death. Later, his parents commented that they hoped people would learn from this occurrence.
Testing
Back in 1970, a photographer purchased a new lens for his camera and decided to try it out. He didn’t know he would be looking through a lens to see a man falling from an airplane. The picture taken was one of a person named Keith Sapsford.
Testing
It turned out that Keith was hiding in the wheel well, but no one knew why that is. Once the plane took off, he didn’t manage to hold on, leading to him falling from the sky. The photographer must have been horror-struck.
One Last Drive
There’s no doubt that the world was shocked and saddened by the death of Paul Walker. The ‘Fast and Furious’ actor was involved in a car accident that put an end to his life. Unfortunately, it was linked to the franchise he was famous for.
One Last Drive
This photo shows the last time Paul Walker would ever enter the Porsche Carrera GT. The fatal crash happened soon afterward. The car caught fire once the accident happened, and Walker sadly passed away. Naturally, his family and fans were devastated by the loss.
Deadly Stunt
Each and every day, there are people who try and do some crazy things. What made this event so tragic is the fact that it was all done for charity. Robert Overacker was attempting to do something good by raising money for the homeless.
Deadly Stunt
His idea was to draw as much attention as possible. This, of course, required something high profile, like jet skiing over the Niagra Falls. Things might have turned out alright if his parachute opened. But it failed. The fall was so far that Robert lost his life as a result.
Biggie Smalls
This might just be one of the most notorious cases in the entertainment industry. The famous rapper, Biggie Smalls, whose real name was Christopher Wallace, lost his life in 1997. This is the last known picture of the rapper before he’d been shot in the back 4 times.
Biggie Smalls
At that point, he’d already feared for his life and hired security as a result. However, the shooter was never caught. Their identity is still unknown to this day. Fans were absolutely devastated when news broke out about this incident.
Incoming Train
It’s logical that one of the biggest fears regarding train platforms is getting pushed in front of an oncoming train. Especially when the platform is particularly crowded and there are a lot of people there. All it takes is just one clumsy person.
Incoming Train
This man, Ki-Suk Han, was pushed over a platform in New York City just as the train was arriving at the station. He wasn’t able to pull himself up in time and ended up losing his life right there and then. Someone managed to capture his picture just moments earlier.
The Nurse With Ebola
One of the worst and most contagious viruses was the Ebola virus. As it spread, medical professionals had to choose between their patients and the risk of contracting it or themselves. Naturally, that’s a tough decision to make. This nurse, Mayinga N’Seka, decided to help as many people as possible.
The Nurse With Ebola
Unfortunately, she caught the virus just days after this photo was taken in 1976. She succumbed to the illness after dedicating herself to saving as many people as she possibly could. It’s really tragic to hear stories like these.
Flight 182
When it comes to malfunctions, airplane crashes are some of the worst disasters. In September 1972, it was morning, people had no idea what was going to happen. The flight was flight 182, Pacific Southwest Airlines.
Flight 182
The plane collided with a private plane, Cessna 172 light. Then, it plummeted right to the ground, colliding with 22 houses in the process. 7 people lost their lives as result along with the 137 flight passengers who did as well.
Horrifying Realization
Back in the 1980s, a man named Bud Dwyer decided to go on live TV. He was the treasurer of Pennsylvania, so it wasn’t too unusual of a request. However, in 1987, he went on live television and pulled out a firearm.
Horrifying Realization
With a weapon in his hand, everyone in the studio had no other option but to watch what would unfold. He had no intention of hurting anyone else. He turned the weapon onto himself and then took his own life. The moment was horrifying for everyone who saw it.
The Last Tightrope
Most people tend to be attracted to watching others perform stunts. Especially when they’re some kind of gymnastics or aerobics seeing how dangerous they are. While many people might choose to have a safety harness, Karl Wallenda knew his fans enjoyed the element of danger, so for the showmanship, he decided not to.
The Last Tightrope
Tragically, this led to his eventual death. At age 73, he took to the tightrope for the last time. He lost his balance at 121 feet in the air. His fans were comforted in the fact that he died doing what he loved most.
Meeting A Bear
There might be movies about talking bears, but some would say we’ve humanized them just a little too much. After all, they are defensive and powerful creatures. This person was out taking a walk when he happened to notice a brown bear. Instead of reacting, he decided to take some photos.
Meeting A Bear
By the time he had finished snapping photos, the bear made its way over to him. The man didn’t survive the encounter. When his body was recovered, his phone was as well, revealing his last moments in this picture.
Princess Diana’s Last Moments
This is the last known photo of the late Princess Diana. It was taken right before the deadly crash in 1997. Prince Harry recalled that there might have been photos taken by the paparazzi after the crash happened. When the princess passed away at age 36, most of the world mourned the loss.
Princess Diana’s Last Moments
This picture was taken just moments before the fatal crash that claimed her life. She was in the car with Dodi Fayed, the driver, and her bodyguard. No one but the bodyguard survived the terrible crash.
Taken By The Water
This couple visited Niagra Falls when they took this sweet photo together. They stood just where they were meant to. However, the tourist dressed in red behind them decided to hop over the safety rails to get a better picture. She was a 20-year-old student from Canada.
Taken By The Water
When she climbed back over the railings, she lost her balance, slipping in the process. There was nothing for her to do as she fell into the Niagra Falls, losing her life. It’s a horrific story with a vital lesson.
James Dean
Back in the day, James Dean was able to make himself a name rather quickly. He soared to fame once he played in ‘Rebel Without a Cause’, winning over the hearts of people everywhere. To this day, he’s iconic in the movie industry.
James Dean
This picture was taken of the 24-year-old just before he got into the car and drove off. That’s when he was involved in a head-on collision. His injuries were sadly fatal. This car was dubbed as ‘cursed’ as a result of being involved in several other accidents after that one.
Risky Business
While there are plenty of people who prefer the comfort of their own home, there are just as many who like living life on the edge, seeking danger and excitement. David Johnson was of the latter category. He was a volcanologist who studied Mount St. Helens. In 1980, it erupted, claiming the life of the 31-year-old.
Risky Business
He was six miles away from the volcano. In fact, he was the first person to report the eruption, warning people and giving them more time to get to safety. He passed away, along with 57 others who weren’t quick enough to escape.
Unsolved Mystery
Two young Dutch tourists were meant to have a guided tour of the jungle of Panama. However, they decided to go see it one day earlier than planned. Kris Kremers and Lisanne Froon took this selfie while on their journey – right before they both disappeared.
Unsolved Mystery
People discovered their belongings and cell phones. It turns out that the girls were desperately trying to call emergency services for days on end. To make matters worse, the only thing left of the two girls was their bones that were found in the jungle.
Final Free Dive
Diving deep underwater is a dangerous thing. We might all have spent time on a beach or in a swimming pool, but there’s always a dangerous element to it. Nicholas Mevoli was a free-diver, meaning that he didn’t use oxygen.
Final Free Dive
This photo was taken just before he dove down to 236ft deep. He managed to get all the way down there and back in 3 minutes and 38 seconds in total. Once he resurfaced, he said he was fine. However, he passed out right after that and passed away from pulmonary edema.
A Friend’s Betrayal
This might look like a normal picture of two close friends, but there’s more than meets the eye. The events that unfolded after the picture was taken will shake you to your core. The second girl in the photo, Cheyenne Antoine, was said to have taken the belt her friend was wearing and then proceeded to strangle her.
A Friend’s Betrayal
Antoine claimed that she had no recollection of what happened. She said it was due to the heavy drinking she had done then. An investigation launched and found her guilty of the crime, leading to her being sentenced to seven years in prison.
Windmill Fire
Two engineers from the Netherlands were instructed to take care of a windmill. They were there only to perform routine maintenance when things took a bad turn. The turbine got trapped and the windmill suddenly caught fire.
Windmill Fire
Both of the engineers weren’t able to get out as the fire covered the only exit from the windmill. They knew they wouldn’t make it. One of the engineers chose to end his life by jumping from the turbine. The second passed from the fire.
First And Last
Just like thousands of others, Sydney Loofe went on a Tinder date. This was the very last selfie she took, showing off her look before heading to the date and meet the man. The date ended her life. Later, the man claimed it was an accident.
First And Last
He said it happened while she engaged intimately with three other people. However, there is no evidence to support this claim and forensics discovered that he suffocated her. The poor woman’s life ended just like that.
Extreme Snowboarding
Marco Siffredi decided he wanted to snowboard off of Mount Everest. Of course, that’s a wild and extreme feat – which he succeeded in doing. When he did it, however, he diverted his route from Hornbein Couloir to Norton Couloir due to lack of snow.
Extreme Snowboarding
This made him want to do it again. So, when there was more snow, he prepared for the event once more, taking this photo in the process. Once he descended Hornbein Couloir, he was never seen again.
The Humboldt Broncos’ Final Photo
A junior hockey team, the Humboldt Broncos were heading to a game in Saskatchewan. On the way, a truck hit their bus after it failed to stop at a stop sign. Their bus was hit at a whopping 62 miles per hour.
The Humboldt Broncos’ Final Photo
The crash proved fatal to most of the teens involved. 16 people died while 13 others were terribly injured. In this photo, 14 people have sadly passed away as a result of the deadly crash. This is a grim reminder to stay alert while driving. Any mistake can be fatal.
Flight 571
Yes, people fly all the time, but when a flight goes bad, it goes epically bad. Uruguayan flight 571 tragically crashed into the Anges in 1972. 12 people died on impact, leaving 33 people still alive. Still, the story somehow gets worse.
Flight 571
It took 72 for the remaining people to be rescued. They had to live out their time in the Andes mountains. During this stretch of time, more people passed. Only 16 people lived to tell the story and get rescued. This photo was taken before the flight took off.
The Yosemite Disappearance
This picture was taken by a hiker traveling Yosemite. All we see is his feet in front of the gorgeous view. They seem to be resting on a ledge of some sort. After this picture, there was no evidence of the hiker at all. He’d gone missing.
The Yosemite Disappearance
A month later, the man’s body was discovered at the bottom of the cliff in this very photo. Since his phone was found at the top of the mountain, it made people think that he might have fallen off the cliff while taking a picture.
The Harvest Music Festival
Thousands and thousands of people go to music festivals each and every year. Mostly, people don’t expect anything terrifying to happen – otherwise, they wouldn’t go at all. The Route 91 Harvest Festival in 2017 saw a huge disaster. A man gunned down and killed 50 people while severely injuring 400 others.
The Harvest Music Festival
This picture was taken at the festival. This couple was having a nice time before the attack happened. The woman on the right was Denise Burditus. She didn’t survive the attack. However, her husband survived.
The Malaysian Plane Crash Of 2014
Gary Slock and his mom, Petra, were on a flight heading to a vacation they had planned out. In this photo, you can see how happy they looked. They thought they were headed to a relaxing holiday. Well, flight 17 was taken down while flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur.
The Malaysian Plane Crash Of 2014
A missile collided with the plane, claiming the lives of all the people on board. There were almost 300 people on the flight. We can only imagine that a lot of them must have had photos just like this one.
Nightclub Fire
The Great White was performing at a nightclub in Rhode Island back in 2003. They planned on having pyrotechnics in the club and organized accordingly. However, that ended up being the cause of the disaster. The fire caught, spreading quickly since the soundproofing material was highly flammable.
Nightclub Fire
Someone got a photo of the moment the guitarist caught sight of the fire spreading. That moment was brief – everything went up seconds later. About 100 people in the club died that night as a result of the flames.
Testing An Aircraft
Cycling back to the 1940s before international air travel was really a thing, these men had their photo taken just before this aircraft took off. It was a flight that would demonstrate what the plane could do. Even the mayor os St. Louis, William Becker, was on the plane.
Testing An Aircraft
The plane took off, causing the right wing to break off almost instantly. Once this happened, the whole plane crashed. Everyone onboard the plane lost their lives. The demonstration did not work the way it was meant to.
The Omagh Bombing
You might think car bombs only exist in movies, but that isn’t true. They’re real, and they are very deadly. This photo was taken moments before a bomb went off in Omagh, a town in Ireland. The explosive was inside the car next to these two people.
The Omagh Bombing
Thankfully, they survived, but the person who took the photo wasn’t as lucky. Over 200 people were injured as a result of the bombing, making it an especially awful event. It’s a scary event to think about.
Flying Ash
There are very few things that are more terrifying than volcanoes are. Natural disasters tend to be just as horrifying, if not more, than those caused by man. This is mainly due to the fact that it’s so out of our control.
Flying Ash
When it comes to volcanic eruptions, the best anyone can do is avoid the damage while running to safety. This picture truly shows the destructive power of a volcano. It was taken as the ash flew from the eruption of Mt. St. Helen. The photographer who took this picture, Robert Landsberg, died in the chaos and destruction.
Mother And Daughter
Airplane crashes are not as uncommon as we’d like them to be, unfortunately. While they’re not that common, it’s still a terrible idea to imagine your plane being unsafe. Most people have ordinary experiences while flying, but others aren’t as lucky. This photo is of two people on a flight that was just about to take off.
Mother And Daughter
As it was flying over Ukraine, Russian airforces shot at the aircraft. No one on the plane survived. This is from Dave Hally, His wife and daughter are the people in the photo. They were on their way to a vacation.
Helping Students
There are not many shootings that are as infamous as the one that happened at Columbine High School. Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris came up with a plan that took them nearly a year to finalize. They walked into their school, killed thirteen people, and then killed themselves.
Helping Students
As terrible as this story is, there were aspects of it that showed the better side of humanity. This picture shows a teacher named William Sanders trying to evacuate as many students as he can to keep them safe.
The Bataclan Theater
Back in 2015, there was a series of attacks in Paris that resulted in over 100 deaths. Terrorists carried out multiple shootings and bombings. Roughly 90 of those deaths happened at a concert venue known as the Bataclan Theater. A band named the Eagles of Death Metal performed there that night. That’s when a gunman opened fire at the unsuspecting audience.
The Bataclan Theater
In this photo, we can see two people on a date at the show. This was just before the massacre happened. Marianne Labanane, the woman, survived. Gilles Leclerc, the man standing beside her, quickly threw her to the ground, saving her life.
Harambe’s Death
There aren’t many cultural events that resonate with people as much as the death of Harambe did. It might sound rather silly, but the death of a gorilla in a zoo brought humanity together for a little while. The reason Harambe was shot was that a child fell into his enclosure. The zoo staff was afraid that Harambe would injure or even kill the child.
Harambe’s Death
And so, they had no other choice but to shoot the gorilla. This picture was taken just after Harambe grabbed the child, right before he was shot. It’s uncertain if Harambe would have actually hurt the child or not.
Beginning A World War
World War I is one of the most famous events in history, and for good reason. It was the very first time the entire world was involved in a war on that scale. Still, it holds an incredible amount of casualties. To think, it all started with an assassination.
Beginning A World War
Whoever knows a little about WWI knows that it was all triggered by the death of Archduke Ferdinand by a Gavrilo Princip. This photo is the last known one of the Archduke while he was alive. He was killed about an hour after it was taken.
Into The Wild
No matter how you feel about the story, Christopher McCandless’s tale has reached legendary status by now. From a movie, book, and countless articles, the story has become quite interesting to most people. In fact, people have become so enthralled by the man’s life that some decide to follow in his footsteps.
Into The Wild
There are people who’ve died trying to emulate him. Christopher died all alone in the wild. There is no shortage of theories as to how it happened. While we don’t know exactly how he died, we do know that this is the very last photo of him alive.
Japan Airlines Flight 123
If Lost taught us anything, it’s that plane crashes are actually terrifying. We can’t help but get chills down our spines when we look at this picture. Japan Airlines Flight 123 is a flight that crashed back in 1985. It flew for about 30 minutes before rapid decompression caused serious damage. More than 500 people died in that crash. Four survived.
Japan Airlines Flight 123
This picture was taken just as the problems started. It’s clear by the oxygen masks that were coming down as the picture was taken. The scariest thing to think of is the photographer. They most likely died right after they took this photo.
Air France Flight 4590
Here we have another photo involving a horrifying plane crash. This picture was taken of Air France Flight 4590. This flight was infamous for pretty much ending the Concorde jet’s place in commercial flying.
Air France Flight 4590
After hitting some debris on the runway, the plane caught fire. The controls were damaged to the point of no return. That’s when it crashed into a hotel, killing 109 people on the plane as well as four people that were in the building hit.
Deadly Climb
Whatever precautions you may take, mountaineering is a dangerous adventure to go on. It’s just you versus the mountain. You can try all you want to prepare, but there are things the mountain can do that you’ll never be ready for. You have to know when to back down – even if it means turning back just five feet from the summit.
Deadly Climb
This photo shows mountaineers George Mallory and Sandy Irvine before they set off to climb Mount Everest, the world’s biggest mountain. The two never returned. No one can know for sure what happened to them.
Joseph Avery
Joseph Avery was taking a boat down Niagra River. That’s when the violent water destroyed his vessel. He was accompanied by two other men, who both went over the falls. However, Joseph was able to maneuver himself through the rapids and reach a rock. He waited 18 hours to be rescued.
Joseph Avery
Eventually, an unmanned boat was floated out to him, and he was sure he was saved. As he tried getting onto it, it capsized, sending him to his death. Here we can see him waiting to be rescued while on the rock.
Music Legend
There aren’t many musicians who are as legendary as Johnny Cash. The man introduced a whole world to the country music genre. He helped defy stereotypes about it too. In 2003, he passed away, just after his wife died.
Music Legend
Still, he kept performing music up until the end. This picture shows him at the last concert he ever played. After this picture was captured, he wasn’t alive for much longer. Today, he’s remembered for his contributions to music.
John Lennon’s Killer
John Lennon getting killed is, to this day, one of the most publicized murders to ever take place. At the time, there weren’t many musicians who were as famous as he was. He went from being in The Beatles to becoming a more controversial figure later in his life.
John Lennon’s Killer
All the same, he had cameras on him wherever he went. This camera just so happened to get a photo of him signing an autograph for Mark David Chapman, the man who would shoot him only moments later. Chapman is in prison for the murder to this day.
Horrible Vacation
Similar to a lot of other selfies on this list, people sometimes go to great lengths to get that perfect photo of themselves. Here we see a selfie taken by the woman in the photo, Jamie Zimmerman. She happened to be on vacation in Hawaii.
Horrible Vacation
While out for a walk, she found a nice ledge to sit on and snap a photo. Soon after this picture was taken, she fell off the ledge she’d been sitting on. The fall wound up fatal. This picture shows her enjoying the scenery in her last moments.
Sabena Flight 548
While it still is a rare occurrence for planes to crash, it can still be scary. However, it might help to keep in mind that flying on a plane is actually safer than driving a car. All the same, the odd plane crash does happen. When it does happen, it normally tends to be fatal.
Sabena Flight 548
One plane crash that was devastating was Sabena Flight 548. It took off on February 15, 1961. The entire US figure skating team was on board the plane. While trying to land in Belgium, the plane crashed. All the skaters were killed as a result. To this day, it’s the most fatal plane crash to ever happen in Belgium.
A Legend’s Final Moments
There aren’t many musicians with stories quite as legendary – and tragic – as Freddie Mercury. Queen’s lead singer, Freddie was responsible for some of the biggest hits of his era – and of all time. In fact, Bohemian Rhapsody is still one of the most successful songs ever.
A Legend’s Final Moments
Sadly, Freddie struggled with AIDS for most of his adult life. Eventually, he succumbed to the illness. This photo is one of the very last ones ever taken of the superstar before he got sicker and sicker.
Into Thin Air
There are many tragic stories that have solid beginnings and endings, like the plane crashes we’ve discussed. However, there are also stories that have open endings that have remained unsolved for years, if not forever.
Into Thin Air
This is a story that has no real ending that we know of. The people in the photo were Russian students who were out exploring the Ural Mountains in the 50s. They never returned. No one knows what happened to them. However, two weeks after their disappearance, their bodies were found, destroyed.
Robin Williams
Celebrity deaths tend to have a rippling effect on the world and send plenty of people into shock whether they were fans or not. There’s just something so sad about someone in the entertainment industry passing.
Robin Williams
This was even truer when Robin Williams passed away. One of the most beloved actors, Robin was seen as a comforting and gentle man by many people all over the world. When he took his own life, people all over were devastated. This picture was taken just days before his death.
Scuba Tragedy
Humans tend to have a natural impulse to fight against the natural elements of the world. Whether it’s mountain climbing, storm chasing, scuba diving, or anything else, it seems to be a common thing for people to try and prove themselves. This couple was clearly trying something risky when they were scuba diving. However, tragedy struck when Tina Watson, the woman on the right, started having trouble.
Scuba Tragedy
She ended up sinking. Her husband, who said he was an experienced diver, said he’d been unable to save her. And so, he swam away. This picture was taken the moment before he turned around and left.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. is one of the most important civil rights leaders ever. Not to mention, he was a man of incredible character, integrity, and bravery. While there might be some misunderstandings about his general approach these days, he still set a model that many would follow.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
At the time, not everyone looked at the man as they did now. That’s what led to him being assassinated on April 4th, 1968 by James Earl Ray. This photo was taken the day before that fateful day that would go down in history.
Getting Shot
In photography, being in the right place at the right time is just as crucial to getting a good photo as the lighting is or any other element. While a person can orchestrate an entire shot, there’s nothing quite like capturing a moment coincidentally.
Getting Shot
This picture shows that perfectly. It wasn’t even taken by a photographer. It was taken by Reynaldo Dagsa. He meant to get a nice photo of his family, but unknowingly took a picture of the man who was about to kill him.
Last Jump
Those who haven’t skydived before might think of it as an arrogant thing to do. Essentially, isn’t it just like a grandiose version of Russian Roulette? Those who aren’t experts know that with the right amount of expertise, it rarely turns deadly. However, those who aren’t careful can easily lose their lives.
Last Jump
With this information in-hand, Stephen Hilder got on a plane and planned on jumping out of it. He didn’t plan on making it out alive, however. He purposely planned for his parachute not to open, essentially ensuring he wouldn’t make it. He simply committed suicide by jumping out.
On September 10th
The most heartbreaking part of the September 11th terrorist attacks is that so many innocent people were killed or injured. They weren’t involved in the politics that caused the incident. They were simply bystanders who happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time.
On September 10th
Joe Kelly is the man we see in this image. Here he is with his two sons, enjoying a Yankees game just the day before the disaster happened. All he wanted to do was hang out with his boys at a ball game. He had no idea what would happen less than 24 hours later.
Trekking Across Antarctica
Oftentimes, it’s said that every great adventurer either quits or dies out on the field. This is rather true, surprisingly enough. Adventurous people tend to push themselves more and more as their careers progress. This typically ends up in a fatal way.
Trekking Across Antarctica
We aren’t sure if Lt. Col simply bit off more than he could chew or if something else happened. Henry Worsley met his end doing what he loved. He was traveling across Antarctica solo when he died. Amazingly enough, he almost crossed the entire continent. Well, this selfie was his very last one.
Flying Through A War Zone
Occasionally, we hear about planes getting shot down while flying over war zones, but it’s uncommon for those planes to be full of civilians. Normally, they’re military planes that are involved in the war happening. However, that wasn’t the case this time.
Flying Through A War Zone
Malaysia Airlines flight 17 was just about to cross from Ukraine to Russia when it was fired at, crashing the plane and killing almost 300 people. A rebel group took credit for it before retracting their claims. The story is a very uncertain one. This picture shows a mother and son, Gary Slok and Petra Slok, right before the plane took off.
Killer Selfie
It looks like Snapchat is used to document just about everything that happens nowadays. It’s almost as if the most important moments of our lives have migrated onto the digital realm for everyone to witness. Still, we rarely see someone’s final moment son Snapchat.
Killer Selfie
That’s exactly what happened here. Stephanie Hernandez posted this picture of herself with her boyfriend behind her. As you can see, he was holding a gun. Later that night, he ended up killing her with the same weapon.
The Twin Towers
There aren’t many tragedies quite as impactful as the terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers on September 11th, 2001. They completely changed the foreign policy in America. Not to mention, how security operated throughout the country.
The Twin Towers
This picture shows the towers simply moments before they fell. Once they did, everything changed in the United States. There aren’t too many pictures that capture moments as monumental as this one.
Hanging On
There was a brief but popular trend several years back where young people would climb up to precarious positions and take photos. This kind of urban climbing understandably sparked concern for the people involved. This picture showcases one of the most popular kids who did this: Andrey Retrovsky.
Hanging On
A lot of people looked at his picture. He’d frequently pursue bolder places to take pictures. After this picture was taken, he lost his grip on the building, leading him to fall. As you can imagine, the fall was fatal.
Patrick Swayze
Patrick Swayze was an actor who was at the top of the world at the height of his career. He appeared in movies like Dirty Dancing and Ghost. Naturally, he had fans from all over the world. Still, things went south quickly when he got a terrible diagnosis: he had pancreatic cancer.
Patrick Swayze
He didn’t know the illness would take his life at the age of 57. This picture was captured days before he died. It’s clear to see the terrible effect the illness had on the man’s body. Of course, his fans mourned terribly once he passed.