A couple was left abandoned in shark-infested waters by a boat, inspiring one of the most chilling films ever made.
If you try to think of the scariest possible thing that could happen to a person, you’d likely come up with something similar to the fates of Tom and Eileen Lonergan.
The disappearance of the American couple remains a mystery that has never been solved.
The Lonergans, from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, went diving with a tour boat off the coast of Australia on January 25, 1998.
But tragically, the couple never returned from their adventure.
The expedition took off from Port Douglas, in Queensland, Australia, en route to St. Crispin’s reef.
The stunning area of the Great Barrier Reef is a popular tourist spot, but the shark-infested waters mean any divers have to proceed with caution.
Tom, who was 33 at the time of the tragedy, and Eileen, who was 28, were described as ‘young, idealistic and in love with each other.’
After meeting at university, the couple spent a year serving at the Peace Corps in Fiji.
Following their service, the pair decided to visit Australia to do some diving.
Using the diving company, Outer Edge, 26 passengers boarded the scuba boat.
Geoffrey Nairn, the boat’s skipper, took the party out 25 miles to sea, and the participants all entered the water.
Disturbingly, this is the last concrete bit of information anyone has about Tom and Eileen.
After around 40 minutes, the rest of the divers emerged from the water, got back on the boat, and returned to dry land.
Two whole days passed before Nairn realized that the pair were missing because he had discovered a bag containing their wallets and passports on the boat.
After the boat’s skipper raised the alarm, a huge search party started, including both the Navy and civilian vessels.
Hauntingly, certain items belonging to the Lonergans began to wash ashore, including a dive slate bearing the harrowing message: “To anyone who can help us: We have been abandoned on Agin court reef Reef 25 Jan 1998 03 pm. Please help us come to rescue us before we die. Help!!!”
And what’s even more chilling?
The fact that the couple’s bodies were never found.
Following the pair’s disappearance, some disturbing diary entries of Eileen’s sparked conspiracy theories over what happened to the two.
She wrote: “Tom’s not s**cidal, but he’s got a death wish that could lead him to what he desires, and I could get caught in that.
“He hopes to die a quick and painless death, and he hopes it happens soon.”
An inquest was eventually held, with coroner Noel Nunan concluding that Nairn was responsible for the tragedy.
Nunan said: “The skipper should be vigilant for the safety of passengers and ensure safety measures are carried out.
“When you combine the number of mistakes and the severity of the mistakes, I am satisfied a reasonable jury would find Mr. Nairn guilty of manslaughter on criminal evidence.”
Nairn was acquitted by the jury; however, his company, Outer Edge Boat Company, went bankrupt following the scandal, as per The Guardian.
The tragedy prompted a change in law in Queensland, requiring diving boat skippers to perform headcounts of all divers onboard, according to the Daily Express.
The couple’s disappearance inspired the petrifying 2003 horror film Open Water, which currently boasts a 71% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
