Amelia Earhart’s popularity took flight as she broke several records as the first female pilot to embark on solo flying trips. Earhart’s most ambitious feat was her intention to fly around the world. The fearless pilot and her navigator departed Papua New Guinea to their next stop in the Pacific.
Earhart and her navigator were constantly communicating with the United States coast guard. Her last message informed the coast guard she could not locate the designated landing spot. Her radio communication became spotty and attempts to contact her failed. No trace of Earhart, her navigator, nor her plane was ever found.
Richey Edwards
Richey Edwards, the rhythm guitarist for Welsh rock band “Manic Street Preachers,” disappeared with barely a trace on a February day in 1995. Edwards and the band were somewhat cult icons at the time of his disappearance, making his sudden departure all that more prominent.
His car was found abandoned at a bridge, and speculation soon grew that Edwards had leaped from the bridge into the waters below. As with most high-profile missing people cases, reports of sightings trickled in from fans to taxi drivers. With no body and no leads, Edwards was officially declared deceased “in absentia” in 2008.
Sean Flynn
Sean Flynn, son of famed Hollywood actor Errol Flynn, followed somewhat in his father’s famous footsteps as an actor, but his true passion lay in photography, particularly photojournalism. The young Flynn used his skills to document the Vietnam and Arab-Israeli wars. The photojournalist returned to Vietnam in 1968 and followed the advancing Vietnamese forces as they invaded Cambodia.
Flynn, paying no heed to warnings from colleagues, approached a road checkpoint and was last photographed being led into the surrounding forest by alleged Viet Cong fighters. Flynn was never heard from or seen again, even though he disappeared in plain sight.
Jean Spangler
Iconic American actor Kirk Douglas found himself embroiled in the disappearance of Jean Spangler, an up-and-coming actress. The rising starlet was last seen supposedly heading out to a film shoot. Spangler’s ripped wallet was found two days later in a park.
The only item in the purse was a note believed to have been written by Spangler saying, “Kirk: Can't wait any longer, going to see Dr. Scott.” At the time, Spangler was working on a movie with actor Kirk Douglas. Attempts to link him to the letter failed. Spangler’s disappearance has remained a cold case for over seventy years.
Alain Kan
Alain Kan, an eccentric French singer, has been missing for decades now. The singer’s breakthrough single “Speed My Speed” came about after he moved to England in pursuit of gaining more exposure for his music. Kan had returned to France at some point and was last seen at the Rue de la Pompe metro station in Paris in April 1990.
While more of an underground figure, Kan left a legacy of songs reflecting his inspiration from singers such as David Bowie and Lou Reed.