November 12

On November 12, 1912, a search party located the bodies of Captain Robert Falcon Scott and his four companions on the Ross Ice Shelf in Antarctica. The explorers had perished on their return journey from the South Pole, succumbing to extreme cold and exhaustion. Scott’s final written entries were found in his tent, providing a poignant account of their fight for survival. The discovery confirmed the fate of the 1910-1913 British Antarctic Expedition, which had reached the South Pole shortly after Roald Amundsen’s team. The event sparked worldwide mourning and admiration for the explorers’ courage and determination. Public interest surged upon learning of the men’s sacrifices in pursuit of scientific knowledge and national prestige. Their scientific specimens and geological findings were later recovered and contributed to polar research. The tragic outcome highlighted the perils of early 20th-century exploration in one of the planet’s most inhospitable environments. Scott’s legacy endures through memorials and the continued study of his detailed expedition records.

During a Caribbean voyage in September 1961, the passenger vessel Bluebelle was commandeered by its captain and two crew members. They murdered Terry Jo Duperrault's parents and other passengers in a plot to collect life insurance payouts. Terry Jo was thrown overboard with a life raft and drifted alone in open water for hours. She was rescued by a passing freighter, clinging to the small cork raft and signaling for help. News of her miraculous survival captivated global headlines and led to a high-profile trial. Her testimony was crucial in convicting the perpetrators of what became one of the most infamous maritime crimes. The case prompted changes in maritime safety and passenger background checks for small vessels.