20+ Haunting Photos Taken Just Before A Tragedy
By Nick Hadji
5 months ago
1. Diana's Crash
(Image Source/ TheMirror)This shows a famously, fatal night. A moment that everybody will always remember - the death of the Princess of Wales, Diana. She has her head turned away but we all recognise her iconic head of hair and the photo before the night of the crash that lead to her untimely death.Original content sourced from Femanin.com2. Uruguayan Flight 571
This is Uruguayan Flight 571. It captures the moments before it crashed in the Andes. There were 27 out of 45 survivors, but they were only rescued 72 days later and so they were forced to survive from cannibalism. Only 16 people made it to the date of rescue.3. Deathly Fall
(Image Source/ Allthat'sinteresting)This famous photo shows a boy named Keith Sapsford. he had run away and hid in the wheel well of a Tokyo Airline plane. He had heard a story of another young boy hiding in a plane who died, he thought he could do the same and survive. He had not realised that the wheel well would reopen, and he tragically fell to his death.4. The Challenger
(Image Source/ Bored Panda)This was the crew boarding for the space shuttle named Challenger. Tragically, the spaceshuttle broke only a mere 73 seconds into the flight. This picture captures the crew minutes before their tragic demise, when they were boarding the shuttle. And, as we can see the crew is full of hope and excitement in regards to their mission ahead which makes the photograph even more haunting.5. St. Helens Eruption
(Image Source/ Bored Panda)This captured the eruption of St. Helens. You can see in the photo the huge ash cloud as it creeps closer. Unfortunately, the man who took this photo died shortly after capturing this image. He was killed by the ash cloud, which he pictures moments before he died. The film managed to survive as he protected it with his body.6. Bomb Explosion
(Image Source/ Bored Panda)This photo was taken seconds before the Omagh bombing. The photograph even shows the red car, where the bomb was placed. It is a very poignant photo because nobody is aware that seconds later their world would change forever. The man and his child are happily smiling for the photo. Somehow the two of them thankfully survived7. Sacrifice
(Image Source/ Bored Panda)This photo captures the heroic last moments of a school teacher. This was Columbine High School Massacre when the school was stormed by a shooter. He can be seen here guiding 100 students out of the cafeteria to try and save them and get them to safety. He managed to save many lives, but he was tragically later shot twice in his chest and murdered by the shooter.8. Family Vacation
(Image Source/ Bored Panda)This photo was taken before Dave Hally and his wife and daughter set off for their dream holiday abroad. He's taken this photo of his wife and daughter to capture their excitement and mark the beginning of their family vacation. This makes it even more heartbreaking because the family were full of happiness and anticipation and were about to have the holiday of their dreams.9. Flight 235
(Image Source/ Bored Panda)These two photos show the very moments before the aircraft Transasia flight 235 crashed, into the Keelung river in Taiwan. The photo has been captured on the dash cam of a driver's car. The plane had 58 people on board of which only 15 survived. This is a particularly horrifying image as the plane is captured literally seconds before crashing, and seconds before lots of people lost their life.10. At the Theatre
(Image Source/ Bored Panda)This couple, Gilles Leclerc And Marianne Labanane were taking a selfie here whilst cheersing their drinks. They were out together for a concert to see The Eagles of Death Metal. Just moments after this photo, four men with guns stormed the concert and started shooting. Gilles Leclerc did not manage to survive, whilst Marianne Labanane did.11. Stunt Gone Wrong
(Image Source/ Bored Panda)This is a photo of Robert Overcracker, a professional stuntman. He wanted to do something huge to raise awareness about the crisis of homelessness. He decided to drive a jet ski over the Niagra falls, and had a parachute ready for the fall. But, the parachute never opened and he fell to his death. This moment in the photo captures seconds before his tragic demise.12. Bear Attack
(Image Source/ Bored Panda)A guy named West Milford took the photo of this bear whilst he was enjoying a hike in New Jersey. Unfortunately, not long after taking this photo he was killed by the bear. It's a disturbing perspective to be looking through the lens of someone deceased whilst staring right at the cause of that very death. The bear, after seeing Milford, attacked him and killed him.13. Free Diving
(Image Source/ boredpanda)Nicholas Mevoli wanted to push his free diving to the extremes and wanted to attempt a dive that was 263 metres deep. This was him when he came back out of the water. However, he came out and immediately gave the OK signal, then he found he was unable to speak. He then passed out and was never able to wake up again. He suffered from what is called a Pulmonary Edema.14. Paul Walker's Crash
This is the famous Paul Walker before his tragic crash that stole his and the driver's lives. He was entering the car at this moment, just before the race. Of course this is the last time he ever entered a car and so it captures one of the last moments of his life. This was back in 2013, a day that everybody remembers when the well loved Paul Walker lost his life as well as the driver who was called Roger Rodas.15. Jumped Off the Waterfall
This family were on family vacation when they asked someone to take a photo of them. What they didn't realise is that in the background, the girl dressed in the red top was about to jump over the bridge of the Niagra Falls. This photograph was unknowingly the last time she was seen alive before she jumped to her death.16. Airplane Crash
(Image Source/ boredpanda)This photo literally captures the moment mid tragedy. This photo was taken in 1978 and it pictures the Pacific Southwest Airlines Flight 182 which ended up crashing into a small private plane. The Cessna 172 plane that it crashed into and the aircraft both fell from the sky. This photograph shows the plane falling to the sky before it crashes and tragically kills those on board.17. After the Crash
This was a photo that had been recovered after the crash of Flight 123, Japan Airlines. There were a total of 520 people on board and only 4 people managed to survive the crash. This photo shows the aftermath of the crash. You can see the oxygen masks from the panels above. Looking at the picture and knowing how many lives were lost makes the photo a horrific snapshot of this tragedy.18. Into the Wild
This is a picture of Christopher McCandless, he was living in the wild setting a new precedent for a new lifestyle. He has become known for the programme 'Into the Wild'. He had been living in a bus that had been abandoned, he wanted a life removed from society where he could live wildly. His body was found decomposed by some Moose Hunters. The cause of his death was officially ruled as starvation.19. Parkour
This is a photo of Pavel Kashin, he was a young guy who loved Parkour and loved trying new tricks. He was performing infront of people doing a backflip onto the wall while people were taking photos at this very moment. The picture captures him in the middle of his move, but when he landed the flip he lost his balance and fell to the ground where he died.20. Mount Everest Expedition
Here in this photo is George Mallory And Sandy Irvine. They were on an expedition to conquer Everest. This was taken in the morning when the couple were ready with anticipation. Sadly, the pair never made it back again. No one knows whether the two of them made it to the top or not, all that is known is that they never returned and this is the last photo of them.21. Pyrotechnics
This photograph shows the band called Great White whilst they were performing at Rhode Island’s Station Nightclub. They had pyrotechnics planned that night, as you can see in the background of the photo. However, the pyrotechnics went wrong and ended up killing over 100 people.22. Titanic
This photo will strike a chord with many. Many people may have even seen this infamous photo before. The well known tragedy of the Titanic. This shows one of the last photos and moments where the Titanic was still afloat. More than 1500 didn't survive that day, this photo is particularly poignant as we know of the tragedy that would occur soon after.23. Niagara River
This shows Joseph Avery as he was sailing on the Niagara River and crashed. Two men died straight away as a result of the boat crashing. Somehow, Joseph Avery managed to survive this part and cling on until help arrived. However, a boat came to rescue him and it ended up capsizing which then killed him.24. R. Budd Dwyer
R. Budd Dwyer at this point in time was the treasurer of Pennsylvania in the years of 1981 to 1987. However, he was then accused of bribery and tax fraud. His trial was televised and millions of people were watching. Dwyer who had had his reputation smeared by the accusations could not handle it. He shot himself during the live trial and it was televised for everyone to witness. He ended up being found not guilty.25. The Concorde Crash
The crash of the Concorde is infamous, the take off of the plane was very much anticipated and it very quickly went horribly wrong. This photo captures the exact moment of the Concorde being on fire. The Concorde launched and one of its engines caught fire and it caused the plane to crash into a nearby hotel. The incident caused the loss of 113 lives.26. Bull Fight
(Image Source/ Historyofyesterday)This is a picture of Víctor Barrio Hernanz, he was a professional bullfighter from Segovia in Spain. This was taken on July 9, 2016, the day of the Feria del Ángel festival in Teruel. At the start, it seemed to be going his way. But, towards the end, he lost control and the bull threw him to the ground and started to attack him. He lost his life and the whole thing was live streamed for the nation to witness.27. A Tragedy
(Image Source/ Historyofyesterday)This photo was taken by a freelance photographer. The man in the photo, on the train tracks, was called Ki-Suck Han. Apparently he had been having a fight with another man and it became physical. The other man said he pushed Han in self defence and he ended up falling onto the tracks. Tragically, the train was coming and Han could not get out of the train's way in time and was killed.28. James Dean
(Image Source/ Historyofyesterday)
This photo was taken on September 30, 1955. It shows James Dean standing with his Porsche 550 Spyder. He was driving to an auto rally in Salinas, California. But, he sadly crashed and ended up dying from the seriousness of the injuries. He had collided with a student who was driving. The student survived the crash but sadly James Dean did not.
29. Missing Flight
30. Hot Air Balloon Fire
(Image Source/ Mysteryu.com)This photo shows an incident in 2021, in Carterton New Zealand. The hot air balloon crashed into power lines and set alight with all of the people on board. People had taken the ride on a day out and they never knew that tragedy would strike. Once it had caught fire it then crashed and all the 11 people who were on the hot air balloon at the time died.31. Last Moments Of Harambe The Gorilla
Image Source / Bored PandaThe sad case of Harambe the gorilla happened in 2016 after a child accidentally fell into his enclosure at Cincinnati Zoo. Harambe was at no fault for the accident, but in protection of the child Harambe was shot after this photo was taken. Officials said a tranquiliser could have taken too long and risked the child's life.32. The Archduke Ferdinand And His Wife Before They Were Killed
Image Source / Bored PandaIn an event that triggered the First World War, Archduke Ferdinand was assassinated, along with his wife Sophie, by Serb Nationalist Gavrilo Princip. This photo was taken before they were both shot, when they were visiting Sarajevo on an official visit.33. News Reporter Christine Chubbuck Kills Herself Live On Air
Image Source / RankerChristine Chubbuck was the first person to die by suicide on a live television broadcast. She shot herself in the head during a news broadcast. Before killing herself, she read the latest news story as normal and then drew a revolver before shooting herself in the head.34. Robert F. Kennedy Delivers A Speech Before He's Shot Dead
Image Source / History of YesterdayNot to be confused with his brother, JFK, Robert F. Kennedy was running for presidency when he delivered a speech in 1968 to celebrate his victories in the race so far. The mood was a happy and positive one, and Kennedy left the speech to be escorted through the kitchen - where he was shot three times, to his death.35. John F. Kennedy Is Assassinated
Image Source / www.history.com
Years before his brother was also shot and killed, President John F. Kennedy was taking a presidential motorcade through Dallas with wife Jackie in a now famous and fateful day. The President was shot twice, the first hitting his throat, and the second hitting his head, killing him.
36. Martin Luther King Jr. Is Shot
Image Source / NPR
King Jr. was standing on a balcony outside his room on the second floor of the Lorraine Motel, on April 4th 1968, when a shot rang out. He was assassinated by James Earl Ray, when he was shot through his right cheek and into his spinal column, injuries which resulted in him later dying in hospital.
37. The Final Moments Before The Twin Towers Fell
Image Source / Next Luxury
On a day many of us will never forget, two planes flew into the Twin Towers in New York on September 11, 2001. This photo was taken of the second plane, moments before it made impact with the towers. You can see the destruction already caused by the first plane, with the tower on fire to the right.
38. The Final Image Before John Lennon Is Killed
Image Source / Next Luxury
The photographer responsible for these late night final photos of John Lennon didn't even realise what they would become - the singer's final photos. Later that night, Lennon was shot and killed outside his home by Mark Chapman. The last photo of John Lennon alive not only include Lennon himself, but the man who killed him seen in the photo while Lennon signs autographs for him.
39. The Last Known Photo Of The Truck Stop Killer's Final Victim
Image Source / Next LuxuryThe Truck Stop Killer is an American serial killer and rapist who would keep his victims inside his truck. This chilling image is the last known photo of his final victim, Regina Kay Walters. But not only is it the last photo - the photo was taken by the killer himself, moments before he strangled her to death inside the barn you can see in the photo.40. Timothy Treadwell And Amie Huguenard: Eaten Alive By A Grizzly Bear
Image Source / Alaska MagazineTimothy Treadwell and his girlfriend Amie Huguenard were camping in an Alaskan National Park at the time of their death. They had been living out in nature in order to live alongside the grizzly bears that Treadwell loved. When a plane arrived to pick them up from their campsite as planned, only their remains were found after a bear had mauled them to death. This photo shows the couple together before that fateful day.41. Lee Harvey Oswald: The Moment He's Shot
Image Source / IrishCentralThe man responsible for the assassination of President John F. Kennedy was here being escorted by police to a car. Before they could get there, a man named Jack Ruby approached from the crowd and shot him. Here you can see the moment Ruby pulls out the gun, right before Oswald realises and right before he's shot. He died of his wounds.42. Nurse Mayinga N'Seka Working Her Last Hours Before Ebola Kills Her
Image Source / RankerMayinga N'Seka was a nurse who was working in Zaïre, now Democratic Republic of the Congo, who died after contracting the Ebola virus diseases in 1976 during the epidemic. This photo shows her working during the first outbreak of the virus (she's seen to the left looking at the camera).43. Firing Squad Moments Before Pulling The Trigger
Image Source / RankerHere you can see the moments before the execution of a revolutionary in 1956, with Cuban soldiers lining up as a firing squad to take the shot. The revolutionary is stood blindfolded, waiting in his final moments until the shot rings out.44. Formula One Racer Ayrton Senna Before He Dies In A Crash
Image Source / RankerAyrton Senna is here seen stationery in his formula one car, taking a rest and possibly thinking about the race to come. Once setting off in his vehicle, he would go on to crash into a concrete side wall at 145 miles per hour and the catastrophic injuries to his head, including a ruptured artery, killed him.45. Moments Before "The Snake King" Is Fatally Bitten By A Cobra
Image Source / RankerAli Khan Samsuddin was a snake charmer known as "The Snake King" due to his living with 400 cobras 12 hours a day. He was also known to work with scorpian. This photo shows Samsuddin with the King Cobra that would kill him - the photo showing moments before the fatal bite would be given.46. The Photo Jodi Arias Took Of Her Boyfriend Before Killing Him
Image Source / SwinceTravis Alexander was murdered by his ex-girlfriend Jodi Arias in his own bathrom. Jodi took this final photo of Travis before she went on to stab him 27 times, slit his neck and shoot him in the head - all in this bathroom.47. A Happy Road Trip Selfie Before A Head-On Collision
Image Source / SwinceThis innocent and happy car selfie was taken by a bride-to-be and her best friend on the way to her bachelorette party. Collette Moreno, the passenger on the left, died after suffering fatal injuries from a car accident when her friend had tried to overtake a truck and crashed into an oncoming vehicle. The driver survived, but Collette didn't.48. NYPD Officer Moira Smith Photographed Before She Died Trying To Save More 9/11 Victims
Image Source / SwinceOne of the many heroes of the 9/11 disaster, Moira Smith of the NYPD is here pictured helping a badly wounded man out of the wreckage after the attack. She would then go back into the South Tower to try and help more victims out before it collapsed - but she died in the process.49. The Final Photo Taken Of The US Figure Skating Team
Image Source / SwinceHere are the US figure skating team excitedly boarding the aircraft which would fly them to the world championship in Prague. Sadly, the team never made it, as the aircraft crashed and killed the 73 passengers, and the entire figure skating team.50. The Dangerous Selfie Taken Moments Before Xenia Ignatyeva Fell To Her Death
Image Source / Swince17-year-old Xenia Ignatyeva was one of many trying to capture a dangerous selfie. She climbed a 28-foot railroad bridge and slipped, causing her to be hit by 1,500 volts of electricity after she grabbed the live wires to steady herself. She then fell to her death.