Summary

  • Travel can lead to unforeseen tragedies. Some travelers never return home, like Elisa Lam, who was found dead in a water tank at a Los Angeles hotel.
  • The brutal murder of Louisa Jespersen and Maren Ueland in Morocco serves as a reminder of the dangers that can arise during travel.
  • Even seemingly harmless activities like taking a selfie can be deadly, as demonstrated by Oliver Park's fatal fall at Machu Picchu in Peru. Always prioritize safety while traveling.

For most, travel is a life-changing experience. But for some travelers, it’s life-changing for the worse. The following travelers had no idea when they boarded planes for overseas that they’d never come home.

You can't always be sure of where you'll end up when you step off the plane, train, boat, or bus, so traveling has its downsides as well. Many people have never come home from their vacations. Our hearts go out to all of these people's families and friends, and we write this as a memory and grim warning to those headed off to parts of the world that may not be as safe as they seem.

UPDATE: 2024/01/10 15:25 EST BY NOAH STAATS

Travel-Related Deaths And Mysteries Keep Us Coming Back For More

This post has been refreshed with new information on people who went on vacation and never came home, including the highly controversial Elisa Lam case. May all the people who lost their lives while traveling rest in peace.

Los Angeles, USA: The Unforgettable Disappearance Of Elisa Lam At The Cecil Hotel

A Netflix documentary can't explain what truly happened to Canadian tourist Elisa Lam at one of Los Angeles's most sinister properties

Cecil Hotel in Downtown LA
Photo by Christopher Alvarenga on Unsplash
Cecil Hotel in Downtown LA

One of the most grueling travel mysteries is the case of Elisa Lam. This Canadian tourist booked a room at the Cecil Hotel in Los Angeles in 2013, only to be found later dead in a water tank at the top of the property.

What has always made this case unfortunate is that we'll never be sure of what happened to Elisa in January 2013. Hotel surveillance showed her being followed through the property by an unidentified person/spirit, although she only appears in the video.

Elisa lived with mental health issues, but her family still believed something much deeper than a rogue suicide was to blame for her untimely passing. She was 21 at the time she was discovered in one of the hotel's water tanks. The Cecil Hotel remains a hot spot for paranormal activity and has housed many serial killers passing through DTLA since its opening.

  • Date of death/disappearance: January 31st, 2013
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Morocco: Louisa Vesterager Jespersen And Maren Ueland Lost Their Lives While Camping

Although the view was stunning, this mountain escape went south

Taroudant city tower walls with Atlas Mountains view, Morocco
Shutterstock
Taroudant city tower walls with Atlas Mountains view, Morocco

The attack on Louisa Vesterager Jespersen and Maren Ueland shook both Morocco and Scandinavia. After camping in the Atlas Mountains in mid-December, 2018, the bodies of the two women were found on December 17, near the village of Imlil in the foothills of Mount Toubkal.

Tragically, video footage of Louisa Jespersen being murdered while her attackers swore allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant was leaked to the internet. This led the Moroccan general prosecutor to label the murder a terrorist attack.

The Moroccan Police arrested a group of local men concerning the murders, with 24 going on trial. All but one of the men were locals from Marrakech. Three of the men on trial were sentenced to death in July 2019 for the murders.

Louisa Jespersen was born in Denmark and was only 24 years old at the time of her shocking death. Maren Ueland was born in Norway and was only 28 at the time of her death. They are remembered fondly both in Scandinavia and in Morocco.

  • Date of disappearance/death: December 17th, 2018

Greece: Suzanne Eaton Was Attacked On The Island Of Crete

An intelligent biologist who only wanted to see something beautiful, the tragedy behind this Crete vacation

Rethymno city at Crete island in Greece
Shutterstock
Rethymno city at Crete island in Greece

Suzanne Eaton was a celebrated molecular biologist who worked at the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics in Germany. Her premature death left a strong impact on academia both in the United States and Europe.

Eaton was visiting the Greek island of Crete in July 2019 when she disappeared during a midday run. She remained missing for over a month until her body was discovered on July 8 in a former Nazi bunker that was carved out during the Second World War. The acclaimed scientist and mother of two had been assaulted and suffocated after being hit by a car.

Her attacker was a local 27-year-old man who was later charged with her murder. Following his arrest, five women came forward to testify against him after he had similarly tried attacking them with his car.

  • Date of death/disappearance: July 2nd, 2019

In general, Greece is deemed safe and is an attractive tourist destination. However, there are things to know while visiting Greece for the first time.

Australia: Peter Falconio Never Returned From The Outback

What began as an adventurous trip to Australia ended in true horror for two people

Flinders Ranges, Outback, South Australia
Image by Zombaba from Pixabay
Mountain biking trails in Flinders Ranges, South Australia

The Australian outback is a wondrous place full of mesmerizing landscapes. But the vast wilderness is the type of place where you can never be too careful. Quite a few foreigners have lost their lives in the outback, one of the most famous being British tourist Peter Falconio.

On July 14, 2001, Falconio was traveling along the Stuart Highway with his partner Joanne Lees in the couple’s Kombi when a car started following them. The man in the Toyota pulled up alongside them and asked them to pull over.

Once Falconio had stepped outside the car, the man shot him dead and then attempted to abduct Lees. She managed to escape into the bush. Meanwhile, the attacker hid Falconio’s remains, which have never been found.

Serial rapist Bradley John Murdoch was charged with Falconio’s murder and sentenced to life imprisonment. He will be eligible for parole in 2032 at the age of 74. Again, Australia is filled with safe cities, although you're never truly out of harm's way when traveling.

  • Date of death/disappearance: July 14th, 2001

Peru: Oliver Park Died Trying To Get A Photo At Machu Picchu

Not worth the selfie: How this man's daring social media moment took his life

Hikers on the trail to Machu Picchu
Photo by Barbara Zandoval on Unsplash
Hikers on the trail to Machu Picchu

Visit any famous landmark, and you’ll see crowds of tourists taking selfies in front of it. While most selfie-taking is annoying, at worst, for the surrounding people, some selfies can be lethal. In recent years, countless tourists have seriously injured themselves or lost their lives while in pursuit of an impressive selfie.

German tourist Oliver Park lost his life during a visit to Peru in 2016 while he was trying to take a photo of himself leaping into the air in front of the iconic Machu Picchu. According to the BBC, Park ignored warnings from the local wardens and safety signs and ventured into a restricted area of the site. He lost his footing while jumping in front of the camera and fell into a ravine.

Stories like Park’s remind us that safety signs and warnings are always there for a reason. No photo is worth risking your life for.

  • Date of death/disappearance: July 2016

There are many dangerous places to take a selfie, so beware of venturing out to snap a photo.

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Indonesia: Andrew Chan And Myuran Sukumaran Were Sentenced To Death In Bali

Not following local guidelines led to the deaths of these two people

Pura Ulun Danu Bratan, Hindu temple in Bali, Indonesia
Shutterstock
Pura Ulun Danu Bratan, Hindu temple in Bali, Indonesia

Some tourists never return home from their travels because they’re targeted by attackers or because they fail to respect the local landscape. Others break the law in countries that are notoriously strict.

Australians Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran were convicted of drug trafficking on the Indonesian Island of Bali in 2005 and sentenced to death.

The two spent nearly 10 years in the notorious Kerobokan Prison, turning to art, religion, and community service during that time. In April 2015, the men were brought to the prison island of Nusa Kambangan, where they were executed by firing squad.

The executions of Chan and Sukumaran gripped Australia and the world, while the harshness of the penalty for Chan and Sukumaran's alleged crimes hints at what's important to know before heading to Bali, or any other destination.

  • Date of death/disappearance: April 29th, 2015

Although these sad tales may make travelers wary of exploring the world, the truth is that many places are rather safe for tourists, as long as you keep your wits about you and follow local guidelines.