“True crime” as a genre has exploded in recent years, which is a sociologically interesting topic, but also just a clear indicator that people like to hear about unusual and sometimes morbid events. However, people still like to get closure or discover what really happened, but life sometimes takes its own turns.
Someone asked “What’s the biggest unsolved mystery in your country’s history?” and people from around the world chimed in. So get comfortable as you scroll through, upvote your favorites and be sure to share your own examples and stories in the comments section down below.
#3
In 1971, a man calling himself D.B. Cooper hijacked a Boeing 727 during a flight from Portland to Seattle. He calmly demanded $200,000 in cash and four parachutes, released the passengers once he got what he wanted, then ordered the crew to take off again at low altitude. Somewhere over the Pacific Northwest, in the middle of a storm, he lowered the rear staircase and parachuted into the mountainous, heavily forested terrain, at night no less, with the money.
No one knows who he was, where he landed, or whether he even survived the jump. Despite one of the most extensive FBI investigations in history, Cooper was never identified or captured, and the case remains the only unsolved act of air piracy in the United States.
No one knows who he was, where he landed, or whether he even survived the jump. Despite one of the most extensive FBI investigations in history, Cooper was never identified or captured, and the case remains the only unsolved act of air piracy in the United States.
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35points
#4
The Beaumont Children were three siblings that vanished from a beach in South Australia in 1966, and it remains Australia's longest-running missing persons case.
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25points
#5
Sweden - M****r of our Prime Minister Olof Palme on open street 1986. To this date no convicted k****r.
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25points
#6
Brian Shaffer, a 27-year-old medical student, disappeared on April 1, 2006, after being last seen on security footage entering the Ugly Tuna Saloona bar in Columbus, Ohio, but never appearing to leave, despite cameras at all exits. His disappearance is a baffling cold case, as he vanished from a crowded bar without a trace, with no evidence of foul play or voluntary disappearance, and his phone, wallet, and credit cards were left behind
He was never seen leaving the bar on any security footage, even though cameras covered all exits, including a construction area.
He was never seen leaving the bar on any security footage, even though cameras covered all exits, including a construction area.
24points
#8
Among others, MH370.
Another search was announced by Ocean Infinity a couple of days ago.
I don't know what to expect.
Another search was announced by Ocean Infinity a couple of days ago.
I don't know what to expect.
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23points
#10
The one that immediately comes to mind for me is the Great Mull Air Mystery.
Christmas Eve 1975 a guy decides to go on a drunken night flight from the Glenforsa airstrip, a small grass airstrip on the Isle of Mull owned by the Glenforsa Hotel, in a Cessna he rented from the hotel manager. He takes off, and disappears. His dead body was later found in a felled tree a few months later, with no trace of salt or marine life on him, or his clothes
In the 2000s a handful of Royal Navy ships were mapping for Naval Mines off Oban, when they found an aircraft that was possibly his, with the doors locked from the inside, no windscreen, and missing a wing.
Christmas Eve 1975 a guy decides to go on a drunken night flight from the Glenforsa airstrip, a small grass airstrip on the Isle of Mull owned by the Glenforsa Hotel, in a Cessna he rented from the hotel manager. He takes off, and disappears. His dead body was later found in a felled tree a few months later, with no trace of salt or marine life on him, or his clothes
In the 2000s a handful of Royal Navy ships were mapping for Naval Mines off Oban, when they found an aircraft that was possibly his, with the doors locked from the inside, no windscreen, and missing a wing.
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21points
#11
The mystery that I want solved the most is what happened to the Alcatraz escape crew: Frank Morris, John and Clarence Anglin. My heart says that they had to have survived. I see so much evidence for thier successful escape. I'd truly need professional counseling if I found out that these men died in their attempt at freedom. My heart needs them to have made it.
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21points
#12
Our Prime Minister the leader of Australia Harold Holt went missing going swimming. Up and vanished without a trace. There was speculation he was picked up by a Chinese sub amongst other theories. We often use the slang doing the Harry if you leave something early i.e I got tired of the pub so I did the Harry and went home. We also named a pool after him.
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17points
#13
Jack the Ripper.
Often sighted as the first internationally famous serial k*ller.
Often sighted as the first internationally famous serial k*ller.
16points
#14
Mona Elizabeth Blades was an 18-year-old New Zealand woman who disappeared on 31 May 1975 while hitchhiking. Her body and belongings have never been found and no one has been charged in connection with her disappearance and presumed m****r.
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16points
#15
The couple in Fermoy who disappeared with out a trace.
Left their passports, wallets, everything at home. Only missing was their car and themselves.
Left their passports, wallets, everything at home. Only missing was their car and themselves.
15points
#16
Two of Argentina’s most interesting unsolved mysteries are the Jesuit Treasure and the secret tunnel networks found in several cities.
The Jesuit Treasure comes from the Misiones region: when the Jesuits were expelled in 1767, legend says they hid a massive amount of gold, silver, and documents in underground chambers. Many expeditions have tried to find it, but no solid evidence has ever appeared, so it remains a mix of history and myth.
Another long-running mystery involves the underground tunnels. Buenos Aires has colonial tunnels in San Telmo and Montserrat whose real purpose is still debated—smuggling, drainage, hidden storage, or something else. The strange part is that many sections don’t match the official city plans of the era.
And it’s not just Buenos Aires: Córdoba, Salta, Mendoza, and several older cities also have undocumented tunnels from colonial times that no one fully understands. Some are sealed, some reappear during construction, and almost none have proper historical records explaining why they were built.
All of this leaves Argentina with a surprising amount of underground mysteries still unsolved.
The Jesuit Treasure comes from the Misiones region: when the Jesuits were expelled in 1767, legend says they hid a massive amount of gold, silver, and documents in underground chambers. Many expeditions have tried to find it, but no solid evidence has ever appeared, so it remains a mix of history and myth.
Another long-running mystery involves the underground tunnels. Buenos Aires has colonial tunnels in San Telmo and Montserrat whose real purpose is still debated—smuggling, drainage, hidden storage, or something else. The strange part is that many sections don’t match the official city plans of the era.
And it’s not just Buenos Aires: Córdoba, Salta, Mendoza, and several older cities also have undocumented tunnels from colonial times that no one fully understands. Some are sealed, some reappear during construction, and almost none have proper historical records explaining why they were built.
All of this leaves Argentina with a surprising amount of underground mysteries still unsolved.
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14points
#17
The m****r of Uwe Barschel, head of government of Schleswig-Holstein.
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12points
#18
Dyatlov Pass incident.
This has to be one of my favourite mysteries.
This has to be one of my favourite mysteries.
12points
#19
There was once a rain of chunks of meat in some United States town in the nineteenth century, I read. The article I read that on said there wasn't a consensus on what caused the rain of flesh.
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11points
#20
Sinking of the MS Estonia.
MS Estonia, a cruiseferry operated by Estline, sank on Wednesday, 28 September 1994, between about 00:50 and 01:50 as the ship was crossing the Baltic Sea, en route from Tallinn, Estonia, to Stockholm, Sweden.
MS Estonia, a cruiseferry operated by Estline, sank on Wednesday, 28 September 1994, between about 00:50 and 01:50 as the ship was crossing the Baltic Sea, en route from Tallinn, Estonia, to Stockholm, Sweden.
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10points