Buzz
Exploration holds an undeniable thrill, fueled by the mysteries awaiting discovery. With every adventure, the stakes are high: ships could sink, diseases could spread unchecked, and perilous terrains may deceive, but in the end, new territories are uncovered, and history is shaped.
However, for these explorers, the risks turned fatal. Not only did they meet their end, but it's believed they were consumed by cannibals. While some of these stories are still debated, in other cases, there’s no question they were eaten.
10. German Explorer Perishes During a Polynesian Goat Hunt
Stefan Ramin, a German-born traveler, and his girlfriend Heike Dorsch were seasoned explorers. In 2011, they set sail on a journey around the world, which brought them to the Marquesas Islands of French Polynesia on August 30. Enchanted by the beauty of the islands, they decided to stay much longer than planned. During their extended stay, Stefan arranged a traditional goat hunt with a local named Arihano Haiti.
The two men left Heike behind for several hours. When their dinghy returned, only Haiti was aboard. He claimed that an accident had occurred in the forest, and Stefan was seriously injured, needing immediate help. Upon arrival, Haiti aimed a shotgun at Heike's face and threatened, 'You die now.'
As the struggle unfolded, Haiti switched tactics and assaulted Heike. She was tied to a tree, struggling desperately for hours to escape.
While Haiti was returning, Heike finally managed to break free from her restraints. Spotting his flashlight from a distance, she decided to sprint towards the shoreline. Climbing aboard a fellow traveler’s boat, she knew she had narrowly escaped death.
When police searched the area, they found Stefan Ramin’s remains in the embers of a campfire, confirming that Haiti had killed him. The story made international headlines, fueled by rumors of cannibalism. This sensational angle caused offense in French Polynesia, where many felt the coverage perpetuated harmful and outdated stereotypes of their culture.
9. The Blanche Bay Massacre
In 1878, Methodist Reverend George Brown sent four Fijian missionaries to Papua New Guinea. As with any missionary expedition, the balance between successful conversion and causing deep offense was delicate. On this occasion, the Tolai tribe seemed unimpressed with the missionaries’ message.
The Tolai tribe ultimately killed and consumed all four missionaries at the command of a tribal leader named Taleli. George Brown, seemingly disregarding the core principles of Christian doctrine, launched a retaliatory attack on the islanders. He burned down a village believed to have ties to the murders and killed at least ten individuals. In the end, British colonial authorities cleared Brown of any wrongdoing.
'The natives respect us more than they did, and as they all acknowledge the justice of our cause they bear us no ill will,' said Brown. In contrast, a contemporary newspaper editorial remarked, 'If missionary enterprise in such an island as this leads to wars of vengeance, which may readily develop into wars of extermination, the question may be raised whether it may not be better to withdraw the mission from savages who show so little appreciation of its benefits.'
In 2007, the Tolai tribe, who no longer practice cannibalism, formally apologized for the killings.
8. Andrei Kurochkin’s Siberian Fishing Trip
In 2012, Andrei Kurochkin and three friends ventured into the Siberian taiga for a fishing expedition. When their jeep and supplies were swallowed by a river, the situation quickly took a grim turn. What was supposed to be a few weeks in the wild became a harrowing four-month struggle for survival. Tragically, Kurochkin died during this time, and one man remains missing, his fate unknown.
The two survivors, Alexei Gorulenko and Aleksandr Abdullaev, were eventually found, and the remains of Kurochkin were discovered. It became apparent that his body had been butchered. Gorulenko then altered his previous account, claiming that Kurochkin’s leg injury had led to his death. It was only after his death that they resorted to eating him for survival. As they made their way to safety, the men carried Kurochkin’s body with them, cutting off pieces of flesh along the way. Abdullaev faced no criminal charges, while Gorulenko was initially tried for murder, but managed to avoid prison.
Kurochkin’s widow responded with deep anguish, saying, 'Can you imagine what I have left? One foot with toes, one finger, and the back of his skull with some hair. This is it. This is all I have left from the man I loved.' The Russian Supreme Court later intervened, overturning the lower court’s verdict and sentencing Gorulenko to 12 years in prison.
7. Giovanni Da Verrazzano’s Final Voyage To The New World
Giovanni da Verrazzano was an Italian explorer active during the early 1500s. After exploring Northern Africa, he gained the attention of King Francis I of France, who sent him on expeditions to the New World.
Like many of his contemporaries, Verrazzano was fixated on discovering a direct route to the Pacific Ocean and Asia to open up profitable trade routes. During his first two expeditions, he explored regions like Maine, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland. On his third journey, he ventured to Brazil and returned to France carrying a load of exotic timber.
In 1528, Verrazzano set out on his final sea expedition, once again heading toward the Americas in search of that elusive trade route. This time, he landed in Florida before navigating further south into the Caribbean.
It’s believed that near the island of Guadeloupe, Verrazzano spotted an island and took a rowboat to explore it. The crew aboard the main ship, watching from a distance, were unable to intervene as their leader was killed and consumed by the island’s inhabitants.
The details of Verrazzano’s life remain somewhat unclear. Some historians dispute the cannibalism story, suggesting instead a more sensational theory: that Verrazzano was actually a French pirate named Jean Florentine, who was captured and executed by the Spanish.
6. Thomas Baker And Seven Of His Followers Are Eaten By The Villagers Of Nabutautau
Fiji, often avoided by European travelers, was historically referred to as 'the Cannibal Isles.' Methodist reverend Thomas Baker arrived there in 1859. He lived peacefully until July 1867, when he journeyed deep into Fiji's main island, Viti Levu, and attempted to convert a local chief.
According to legend, Baker offered the chief a comb as a gift to start the conversation. Despite their exchange, the Christian message failed to make an impact. When the chief refused to adopt Christianity, Baker, in an act of irritation, snatched back the comb. The chief’s head was touched during this exchange, an action that was perceived as both insulting and threatening.
The truth of this incident remains unclear, though it’s possible that the real cause of the conflict was rising tensions and distrust towards outsiders. Regardless, Baker and seven of his followers were killed, and their bodies were consumed by the villagers of Nabutautau.
The villagers believed their actions brought about a curse, which culminated in a 2003 visit to Nabutautau by 11 of Baker’s descendants. A formal apology was offered, and a ritual to lift the curse took place.
5. Richard Parker Is Killed And Eaten Out Of ‘Necessity’
In 1884, four men embarked on a journey from Southampton, England, aboard a yacht, with the goal of delivering it to its new owner in Australia. However, two months into the voyage, the yacht was struck by a rogue wave and sank.
The crew managed to escape onto an emergency dinghy but found themselves stranded in the South Atlantic, with only two tins of turnips to survive on. The rationed food lasted for 12 days. As the supplies dwindled, the 17-year-old cabin boy, Richard Parker, began drinking sea water, which led to a rapid decline in his health.
Thomas Dudley, the captain of the yacht, remarked to crew member Edwin Stephens three weeks into their ordeal, ‘The boy is dying. You have a wife and five children, and I have a wife and three children. Human flesh has been eaten before.’
Shortly after, Stephens restrained Richard Parker as Dudley used a penknife to stab at his throat. The remaining three crew members drank the boy’s blood to quench their thirst, then consumed his liver and heart. After satisfying their hunger, they cut off portions of Parker’s flesh for later and discarded his remains overboard.
When the men were rescued, Dudley openly admitted to his actions, believing they were a matter of survival, in line with unspoken maritime traditions. Most in England shared his view, and even Parker’s older brother, a sailor himself, shook Dudley’s and Stephens’s hands during their trial.
Despite this, they were convicted of murder and sentenced to death. The home secretary later commuted their sentence to six months in prison. The other sailor, who participated in the cannibalism but not the killing, was not charged.
4. Oliver Fellows Tomkins And James Chalmers Keep Promise To Visit Cannibal Islanders
Oliver Fellows Tomkins and James Chalmers were Congregationalist missionaries serving in Papua New Guinea. Chalmers had been living there for 23 years, while Tomkins had spent just over a year.
In 1901, both Chalmers and Tomkins met a tragic end while attempting to spread the Christian gospel to the inhabitants of Goaribari Island. Their journey along the Aird River led to their fateful encounter. Tomkins recorded their experience:
In the afternoon we were holding a brief service with the crew when we spotted about twenty canoes approaching. [ . . .] They stayed on board for roughly three hours, inspecting everything from the ship's rigging to our shirt buttons. They insisted that we come ashore with them, but we preferred to remain on the ship and promised to visit their village the following morning.
The next day, Chalmers, Tomkins, and several crew members made good on their promise and went ashore. Tragically, they were killed and eaten, and their bones were later put on display.
3. The Lost Franklin Expedition
In 1845, Sir John Franklin embarked on an expedition aboard the HMS Erebus and the aptly named HMS Terror. The goal was to navigate the final, uncharted stretch of the Northwest Passage in the Arctic.
Initially, the expedition began with a crew of 134 men, including Franklin. However, by the time they made their last stop in Greenland, five men had been discharged, leaving 129. Franklin was a strict leader, forbidding both swearing and drunkenness aboard his ships. It remains unclear how long this discipline lasted. Given the circumstances, it likely ended soon after the ships were trapped in the ice of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago.
The mysterious disappearance of the ships captivated England, prompting numerous expeditions in hopes of uncovering their fate and possibly rescuing survivors. However, there were no survivors. Every one of the 129 crew members perished over time.
The 1857 expedition aboard the steam schooner Fox was the final search funded by Lady Franklin, John Franklin’s widow. During their efforts, the crew of the Fox discovered letters. One, written on May 28, 1847, read: “Sir John Franklin commanding the expedition. All well.” Another letter, dated April 25, 1848, revealed that Franklin had died two weeks after writing his note.
In 1992, 400 fragments of bone were discovered on King William Island. Forensic analysis showed cut marks consistent with defleshing. In 2014, the wreck of the HMS Erebus was found lying beneath the sea, 1,900 kilometers (1,200 miles) from Toronto. Two years later, the HMS Terror was also located.
2. John Williams’s Ill-Timed Trip to Erromango
John Williams was another one of those missionaries. For over two decades, he traveled throughout the South Pacific, spreading the Christian faith. Renowned as one of the most successful missionaries of his era, he was also no stranger to danger. It was that very risk that ultimately caught up with him in 1839 while he was exploring the island chain known as Vanuatu, then called the New Hebrides.
Accompanied by fellow missionary James Harris, Williams visited the island of Erromango, the country’s fourth-largest island. Unfortunately, the timing couldn’t have been worse. Just days before, European sandalwood traders had arrived, and after killing several of the islanders, the missionaries were now viewed as a threat.
Harris was struck down by a club, while Williams managed to flee toward the sea. However, he, too, was clubbed and shot with arrows. Ultimately, both missionaries were killed and then eaten by the locals.
In 2009, descendants of John Williams made a journey to the location where he was murdered. Much like the tribe that killed Thomas Baker, the people of Erromango believed that they needed to make amends with the family of the deceased in order to lift the curse that had been cast upon them.
1. Owen Coffin and His Crew Members Resort to Cannibalism After Whale Attack
The tragically named Owen Coffin was just 17 years old when he met his fate. He was a sailor aboard the Essex, a ship that had set out on a mission to hunt sperm whales in the vast Pacific Ocean.
In November of 1820, the Essex was struck down by an enormous whale, which rammed the ship twice. Owen Chase, a crew member, vividly described the second, devastating impact:
I turned around and saw him [ . . ] coming down with twice his ordinary speed, and it appeared with tenfold fury and vengeance in his aspect. The surf flew in all directions about him with the continual violent thrashing of his tail. His head about half out of the water, and in that way he came upon us, and again struck the ship.
The crew managed to escape on three makeshift boats. As they perished one by one, their bodies were preserved and rationed out as sustenance. After more than two months stranded at sea, the men aboard Coffin’s boat drew lots to decide who would be sacrificed for the others to survive. Coffin lost the draw. When his cousin, the captain of the Essex, offered to take his place, Coffin reportedly replied, “No, I like my lot as well as any other.”
Eventually, their boat was spotted along the South American coastline on February 23, 1822, after 92 agonizing days adrift at sea. Herman Melville later acknowledged the tragic sinking of the Essex as one of his major inspirations for writing Moby Dick.
