We've all seen terrible disaster photos, but sometimes, the photos taken beforehand can be even creepier. People unaware of the trauma they're about to endure, whether it be boarding a doomed flight or a smiling celebrity before their untimely death, these catastrophes are often preceded by normal pictures. These people had no idea how their lives would end when they took these images...

Carrie Fisher

Here Carrie Fisher poses for a picture right before her passing. Star Wars legend gone too soon.

Carrie Fisher posed with a fan in London only a day before her passing. She boarded a flight to Los Angeles but suffered from a heart attack on the way there. She was taken to the hospital and died four days later. The fan felt very lucky to be the one to capture this moment in time with such an iconic actress. 

Ian Curtis

Just one day before his suicide, Ian Curtis is seen here taking a picture next to his baby girl.

Joy Division was an iconic band of the 1970s, and Ian Curtis was a hero to many music lovers. After years in the spotlight, he and his wife Deborah had a daughter. Curtis wanted out of his marriage and felt helpless in his life. He hung himself in his kitchen the day after this photo was taken. Bassist Peter Hook said the death of his bandmate has never left him. 

Chernobyl Before Nuclear Blast

Two employees died instantly, and 28 died over the course of a few months. Even to this day, locals die from the radiation.

In Pripyat, Ukraine, the Chernobyl power plant was in full swing. However, a test of the emergency water cooling system caused a reaction that set off a traumatic chain of events. Two explosions released 400 times more radiation than a bomb dropped at Hiroshima. 

President Lincoln's Last Portrait

In this picture, he was looking forward to the upcoming inauguration.

Taken by photographer Alexander Gardner, this is the last ever portrait of the 16th President. It was taken February 5, 1865, only two months before the president was shot and killed by John Wilkes Booth at the theater. He is best remembered for freeing slaves and leading during the Civil War. 

Challenger Crew's Last Walk

This is the last time these crew members would walk on Earth. Absolutely chilling.

Everyone knows what the Challenger Explosion is, which makes this photo all the more chilling. The crew included social studies teacher Christa McAuliffe, who was awarded the trip through the NASA Teacher in Space Program. She was the first non-military citizen to go to space, but the excitement was short-lived. 73 seconds after lift-off, the spacecraft failed and plunged into the ocean, killing all those on board. 

US Figure Skating Team's Last Flight

This is the final flight the USA figure skating team would take as it would never reach their destination.

In 1961, the many members of the USA Figure Skating team were aboard a flight for the World Figure Skating Championships in Prague, Czechoslovakia when things went haywire. Sabena Flight 548 had an unidentified mechanical error. The flight went down in flames into a field. All 38 passengers died in the wreckage and the nation lost some of its top performers. 

James Dean's Last Tank Of Gas

The last time the famous heart throb would ever fill up his tank.

This car, nicknamed "Little Bastard", is seen here with owner and actor James Dean. While driving this car down Route 466, he came across a sharp turn that he wasn't prepared for and threw him off the road and into a 1950 Ford Tudor. He was removed from the wreckage and was pronounced dead when he arrived at the hospital.

Miami Airlines C-46 Before Its New Jersey Crash

An eerie scene as this passenger plane never made it to its destination.

The plane was supposed to fly 56 passengers from Newark, NJ to Tampa, FL, but the flight never passed through Elizabeth, New Jersey. As soon as the plane departed, the engines started to smoke out of the right side of the aircraft. The attempts to fix it were futile and sent the plane 90-degrees into a left bank. It landed nose-first on a giant storage building. 

Kobe Bryant Rushing To The Helicopter

In the background of a selfie before his helicopter fails, we see Kobe rushing to get to his daughter's game.

Kobe Bryant, pictured in the background of this basketball fan's selfie, died in 2020 after his helicopter failed. Kobe gave him knuckles, and Brady, the boy who took the selfie, said, "He wasn’t in the mood to talk because they lost." Sadly, the fan said Kobe promised to give him a proper picture the following day...

Killer Dennis Dilda Poses With His Family

Taken moments before his execution for the murder of a trespasser and a police officer.

Dennis Dilda might look like a normal family man, but this photo captures him and his family just moments before his execution for killing a man who was hiding on his property and hiding the body. He also killed a police officer who investigated him. Before being taken away, he requested to have one final photo taken with his family. The police honored this request, and the eerie image can still be seen to this day. 

Babe Ruth's Donation

Babe received a donation weeks before his death at age 54, in 1948.

Here is Babe Ruth on July 29, 1948, receiving a donation for the Ruth Foundation, which benefitted underprivileged children. He was suffering from throat cancer during this period. He only lived for a few more weeks after this and passed at the age of 53. 

The Twin Towers

16 minutes before the 9/11 attacks, New York sat peaceful for just moments longer. The world would never be the same.

The 9/11 terrorist attacks were some of the most jarring in recent history. Two planes flew into the tallest towers in New York City, killing hundreds inside and outside the building. This photo was taken only 16 minutes before American Airlines Flight 11 hit the north tower and the nation was changed forever. David Monderer did not know the impact his photo would have on history...

Last Photo of the Titanic 

A picture that shows how big Titanic actually was right before the sinking.

The Titanic sinking is one of the most famous tragedies in recent history. It left the port on April 10th, 1912 on a voyage from South Hampton England to New York City. Aboard the ship were over 2,000 passengers from all walks of life. It's not clear where or when this photo was actually taken, but it's one of the few that history has preserved of the ship at sea...

McQuilken Brothers

Just moments before these brothers were struck by lightning, this is super eerie.

Michael and Sean McQuilken look a little silly in this photo, but there's a bit of morbid irony behind it. This photo was taken right before the boys were both struck by lightning, and both survived. "At the time, we thought this was humorous. I raised my right hand into the air and the ring I had on began to buzz so loudly that everyone could hear it. [Then] I found myself on the ground with the others," recalled Michael. 

Mark Twain

The day before Mark Twain went out with Halley's Comet. Went out how he wanted.

"I came in with Halley's Comet in 1835," said Twain once upon a time, "It will be the greatest disappointment of my life if I don't go out with Hailey's Comet." Sure enough, fate did not disappoint the prolific writer. In 1910, on April 21st, Mark Twain died of a heart attack. It was only one day after Hailey's Comet made its closest-ever recorded approach to the earth's atmosphere...

Martin Luther King

Just hanging out on a balcony moments before he was assinated. Tragic death that would rock the world.

Martin Luther King was argued against for his entire campaign, but his battle for human rights came to a tragic end when he was shot on the balcony of his hotel. This photo pictures King in the hours before his death. This was a difficult time period for the civil rights activist. He was described as being very depressed and stressed during this era, and even considered ditching his Poor People's Campaign due to distress. 

The Last Climb

George Mallory and Sandy Irvine before their Mount Everest climb. A dangerous hike.

Mount Everest is one of the most dangerous treks a climber can make in their lifetime. People have died from frostbite, high altitude pulmonary edema, injury, and other landscape terrors. In 1924, Mallory and Irvine climbed the summit but disappeared on the trek. Their bodies were considered lost until Mallory was found frozen in 1999. To this day, no one knows where Irvine ended up...

New York City's Wealthiest Vanished

Dorothy Arnold just days before she vanished from the Earth never to be seen again.

Dorothy Harriet Camille Arnold was one of the wealthiest women in New York City. She disappeared outside Brentano's bookshop on Fifth Avenue and 27th Street in the middle of the day. She was the niece of a Supreme Court Justice and lived a socialite lifestyle. This was the last photo of her, and she was never heard from again, though the details are a little hazy...

Extinct Barbary Lion

They were wiped out quickly, and this photo taken from a flight in 1925 is the last image of the extinct species...

There's a reason you might not have heard of the Barbary Lion. They once lived off the coasts of North Africa and the Atlas Mountains of Egypt. When hunting with firearms become commonplace, these beasts were the first to go, due to their fine fur and high numbers. 

Karl Wallenda Seconds Before Falling

He was 123 feet above the ground between two hotels in San Juan.

The Great Wallendas were a high acrobatics circus group that promoted death-defying stunts and high wire walks. Two members of the troupe died due to the stunts in 1962 when the three-man pyramid collapsed during a performance. Karl himself lost his life during a tightrope walk in 1978. 

Budd Dwyer's Televised Suicide

"Please leave immediately if you have a weak stomach or mind, since I don’t want to cause physical or mental distress."

Nothing shook TV like Budd Dwyer's suicide. The Pennsylvania State Treasurer appeared on the screen and said to the camera, "Please tell my story on every radio and television station and in every newspaper and magazine in the U.S. Please leave immediately if you have a weak stomach or mind, since I don’t want to cause physical or mental distress." Then he pulled the trigger...

Howard Hughes' Last Photo

Preceded his actual death by 15 years, as he became hidden from the public.

Howard Hughes led a famously secret life. He was a known recluse, so although he posed for this photo in 1961, his life did not end until he was 70 years old in 1976. He wanted his addiction to prescription medications hidden from the public. He grew more introverted and reclusive as his health declined and he grew older. His addictions included Asprin, codeine, and Vicodin. 

Archduke Ferdinand Before His Assassination

Photo right before the Archduke begged his wife to go back to the palace.

In 1914, on June 28th, Archduke Ferdinand was on a trip with Countess Sophie Chotek to Sarajevo. Many tried to assassinate the politician, but only one managed to carry out the task. That man was 19-year-old Bosnian Serb student Gavrilo Princip. Though Ferdinand begged the Countess to go back to the palace, she refused, and they were both shot in the assassination. 

Stowaway Falls Out of the Plane

Hidden inside the landing gear before take off, he was unable to hold on to see the world.

In 1970, Keith had a taste for adventure and wanted to see the world. His parents enrolled him at a strict Catholic school in Engadine, Australia, but the rigor only made him more impassioned. He went to Kingsford Airport and crawling up a plane wheel, hiding inside the landing gear. Once the flight took off, he wasn't able to hold on inside the plane and he fell to his death. 

Hindenburg Final Flight

Moments before the hidenburg disaster took place that would change aviation forever.

The German aircraft was in use from March of 1936 until May 6th, 1937. This photo was taken on that same day when the Hindenburg was making its way over the Garden State. No one really knows how the fire started, but once it was lit, the flames spread quickly throughout the ship. 9 of the 12 crew members perished, but only 35 of the 97 people on board died.

Johnny Last School Picture

He was written off as a runaway but later reclassified to a kidnapping victim. No one knows the truth.

In 1982, Johnny Gosch was on his paper route in Des Moines, Iowa when he disappeared. His parents received calls from worried neighbors who never got their papers, and after some searching, police found Johnny's wheelbarrow of newspapers. He was nowhere in sight. 

Nikola Tesla's Last Photo

Known as Tesla's last photo, the inventor lived a heck of a life and his legend continues to grow.

This is the last ever photo of renowned physicist and inventor Nikola Tesla. By the end of his life, Tesla lived on only milk, bread, honey, and vegetable juices. He was penniless and spent his time in parks, surrounded by nature. He died of old age but was always working on difficult problems up to his passing. 

Majorana Vanishes Overseas

Some say he ditched his life to go live in South America, away from scholastic pressures.

This young man was once considered a gifted theoretical physicist. Majorana was called the next Galileo. However, the world never really knew his impact due to his disappearance. He vanished from a boating trip from Palermo to Naples and his body was never recovered. Researchers actually believe this theory to be true...

CG-4A Troop and Cargo Glider Crash

Combat glider crashed and burned from 2,000 feet with 5,000 people watching.

The Waco CG-4A combat glider was one of the most dangerous airplanes in World War II. They landed on the Normandy beaches with no weaponry and no engines. One crash nearly stopped their production, the moments before pictured here. The wings snapped off at a height of 2,000 feet and all the men inside perished. Over 5,000 people witnessed the tragic event...

Marilyn Monroe

The weekend of Marilyn Monroe's death, when the world lost an absolute icon and legend.

After being dumped by Robert Kennedy, Marilyn Monroe reconnected with friend Buddy Greco, pictured here. "When she arrived that Saturday, you'd never believe that she had a care in the world," Greco recalled later. "She got emotional and hugged me. She had such warmth—and I was moved. Somebody took some wonderful shots of that moment, of us hugging." That was the last time her friends saw her alive...

Flight 182 Goes Down

The wing on Flight 182 fell off and everyone on board died. 

The Pacific Southwest Airlines Flight 182 flight was scheduled to leave Sacramento and fly to San Diego, a relatively quick flight. However, when the pilot went in for the landing, a Cessna 172 appeared underneath the aircraft over Lindbergh Field. The planes crashed together and the Cessna was completely destroyed. 

Mount St. Helens' Final Photo

Then he covered the bag with his body. He didn't survive, but the photo did.

Robert Landsburg was a photographer who caught this photo of the earth's terrifying power. The eruption was heavily documented, but it was difficult to do without getting burned. When he saw the explosion, he knew he couldn't escape mother nature, so he snapped several quick pictures and then shoved the film in a bag. 

JFK Moments Before His Assassination

Many conspiracy theories suggest that maybe Oswald was not the one to blame.

This was one of the last photos ever taken of former President John F. Kennedy. He was shot in Dallas, Texas on November 22, 1963. He was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald, who was later killed in the midst of a prison transfer. Many conspiracy theories suggest that maybe Oswald was not the one to blame, but these are only ideas. Or...are they something more?

David Bowie's Last Day Alive

His final album, Blackstar, had just been released. It was heavily focused on his illness and death. 

David Bowie is a legend of the rock n' roll scene, but this famous rockstar was in the throes of his cancer treatments by this point. This is the last known photo of the singer, who flashed a big smile to the fans and the paparazzi. He passed away only a few days after his 69th birthday. 

John Lennon Before His Assassination

The famous member of the Beatles died instantly in front of his own apartment building.

John Lennon did a lot for the exploration of music, but not all his fans were of their right mind. Lennon was shot by the man pictured in the background of this image, Mark David Chapman. Chapman asked Lennon for his autograph and then shot Lennon five times in the back. 

Andrew McAuley Lost At Sea

A Tape was found on board, and they found Andrew had recorded some of his time at sea, pictured here. 

Andrew McAuley was an Australian kayaker who found himself lost at sea when he attempted to travel 994 miles by kayak from Australia to New Zealand over the Tasman Sea. In February 2007, the explorer vanished, and authorities only recovered his kayak but not his body.

Freddy Mercury

Just days before dying tragically from AIDs. He was an American icon and legend.

Freddy Mercury was an icon to musicians everywhere. The "Bohemian Rhapsody" mastermind also lived a reclusive life in his later years, partly due to his experience with AIDS, which was slowly taking his life. The lead singer of Queen was a well-respected performer and artist, which makes this final photo in his front yards days before his death all the more melancholy...

Flight 007 Shot Down

The flight left New York, but once it flew over Soviet airspace, it was quickly shot out of the sky. 

Korean Airlines Flight 007 is pictured here before it entered the air. There were thirteen bodies found over the next few days that were tragically too disfigured to identify. The Russian authorities claimed that the bodies were all eaten by crabs when they uncovered the remaining wreckage. 

Submarine Explosion

The search for the submarine ended when they found out that it actually exploded into pieces.

In 2017, the Argentinian submarine the ARA San Juan set sail for a voyage on the open ocean. Last seen in the San Jorge Gulf when the ship began to experience electrical problems. The issues showed up on record, and the submarine was largely considered to be missing. In actuality, the vehicle exploded and killed all on board. 

Amelia Earhart's Deadly Voyage

No one really knows what happened to Earheart up in the air, but there are many theories. 

Amelia Earhart was a feminist icon, but the plane pictured behind her would be ultimately the cause of her demise. Some say she crashed in the water while looking around for an island on which to land the plane. Others say she found land and lived out the rest of her days away from the spotlight. 

Steve Irwin

Just hours before his death when he was stung by a stingray.

Steve Irwin is the beloved Crocodile Hunter who made his career caring for dangerous animals, like crocodiles and stingrays. Unfortunately for Steve, it was this love for wildlife that eventually killed him. While shooting his television show, he was stung by a deadly stingray, this photo was taken hours prior to his death. 

Lee Harvey Oswald 

Some believe that Oswald didn't really kill Kennedy, and Ruby was covering something up...

Only days after killing former President Kennedy, Lee Harvey Oswald had to be transferred to a different location to keep him safe. The press caught wind of this transfer and club owner Jack Ruby managed to squeeze through the crowds to shoot Oswald. Ruby was charged with first-degree murder. 

Mark Matays Jumping Off a Building

Police spoke to him for over an hour in an attempt to stop him from going through with the act.

Sadly, 21-year-old Mark Matays jumped off a 23 story building on Coney Island on May 15, 1974. Police spoke with him, but he eventually broke away from the conversation to take his own life. This photo was captured in the fall. 

Ulysses S. Grant

The United States president, just four days before he passed away. Friend of Mark Twain.

Ulysses S. Grant wrote several memoirs throughout his life, and he is pictured here writing another, only days before his final death. The general rose through the army ranks despite his poor grades and alcoholic tendencies at West Point. Grant wrote to Mark Twain before his death and asked him to write his memoirs as they could bring him a lot of money after he passed.

U.S.S Maine Explosion

With 260 crew members killed in the act, likely caused by a mine, this was a truly tragic day. 

In the event that brought on the Spanish-American war, the U.S.S. Maine, the American battleship, is seen here totally destroyed. The ship was destroyed in Havana Harbor on February 15th, 1898. 

Flight 19 Before Vanishing

A Martin PBM Mariner flying boat was sent to search for them, but it also ended up vanishing in the search. 

No one knows what happened to the men in this photograph, even to this day. On December 5, 1945, the crews of five Grumman TBM Avenger torpedo bombers vanished over the Bermuda Triangle. Named the "Lost Squadron," the crew lost radio connections with the Navy. They were then deemed missing. 

Lee Harvey Oswald

In 1963, he became a household name after he killed the former President in a gruesomely public way.

Lee Harvey Oswald was the one pulling the trigger on John F. Kennedy, but soon afterward, he had the gun pointed at him. Jack Ruby, club-owner, shot Oswald while he was transferring prisons. He was charged with first degree murder. 

Marilyn Monroe's Final Photoshoot

Monroe overdosed on barbiturates. The newspaper report stated that Monroe's death was "caused by a self-administered overdose of sedative drugs and that the mode of death."

Marilyn Monroe's last known photoshoot was with photographer George Barris, taking place three weeks before she died. She passed away on August 5, 1962, in Brentwood, Los Angeles, California. 

Michael Hutchence Days Before His Suicide

His death was ruled a suicide as a result of ingesting a combination of "alcohol, cocaine, Prozac, and prescription drugs."

The Aussie lead singer of INXS is pictured here at his last band rehearsal. This photograph was taken just a day before he was found dead at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Double Bay, Sydney, Australia. 

Akhmad Kadyrov Before the Explosion

An iconic picture taken in 2004 at a WWII memorial parade in 2004 where an explosion went off.

Moments after this photo was taken, a bomb exploded. This photo was taken at a WWII memorial victory parade in 2004 in Chechnya, Russia. Chechen Islamists set it off during the celebratory parade, instantly killing President Akhmad Kadyrov who can be seen in the front and center of this picture. 

Chris Cornell's Last Performance

His final guitar performance, just a few hours before he was found deceased in his Detroit hotel room.

Chris Cornell has had issues with drugs and depression throughout his career, which culminated in a true tragedy. The performer hanged himself while on tour with his band, Soundgarden. The vocalist of the popular group is pictured here.

Paul Walker Minutes Before Tragedy

This would be the vehicle that would end up crashing, sending Walker to his death.

Fast and Furious actor Paul Walker is pictured here getting into a car on November 30th. This photo was snapped just half an hour before the accident occurred, and the car went up in flames during the crash. 

Flight 571 Before Going Down

There were a total of 45 passengers on board, and of those 45, 28 survived the initial crash.

In the Andes Mountains on October 13th, 1972, the people in this photograph went down in Flight 571. Sixteen people were rescued, having resorted to cannibalism after getting stranded atop a glacier for 72 days. 

Rosa Parks' Last Photo

At the age of 92, Parks was found dead in her Detroit apartment.

Rosa Parks was known for not giving up her bus seat to a white man in 1955 when segregation laws dictated she was to do so. This is the last known photo of her before her final passing. She was considered a huge part of the civil rights movement. 

Challenger Space Crew Inside

When the ship failed to launch, the entire nation mourned the loss of the astronauts and one lucky teacher being sent into space.

Pictured here, moments before the Challenger fails during take-off, the NASA team prepared to lift off. The tragedy was televised, even in schools across America. The event occurred in 1986. 

Tupac Shakur Before His Shoot Out

He was shot and killed shortly after this photo was snapped, and the killer was never caught.

This is the last known image of Tupac, taken in 1996. The killer has never been caught or even identified, there are several theories. Some even say that Shakur faked his own death, and is still alive in the world today, living in anonymity. 

Robin Williams' Last Day

In 2014, Williams took his own life. He was still in rehab at the time of his passing and remains an American treasure.

Robin Williams was no stranger to hard times. He is pictured here with Dairy Queen employee Abby Albers, the last fan to ever meet and be photographed with the hilarious and haunted comedian. 

George Harrison's Final Week

His former bandmates of The Beatles came to visit an old friend as he was battling cancer.

George Harrison, one of the original four members of supergroup The Beatles, is pictured here with his former bandmates. Here he is, enjoying his time with them, unaware he would pass away only seventeen days after this photo was taken in 2001. Harrison was battling cancer during this time.

Vicki Weaver Before Being Killed By FBI

Her families house was sieged as her husband had ungoing weapon charges he failed to cooperate with authorities.

Vicki Weaver, her 14-year-old son, and her family dog were victims of what is now known as the Ruby Ridge Siege. Here she is, standing in her own backyard. Randy Weaver resisted authorities and failed to show up in court on weapons charges, so the US Marshals and FBI were forced to take violent action.

Adolf Hitler, Days Before Suicide Pact

He shot himself in the head while his wife, Eva Braun, ate a cyanide capsule.

Hitler famously committed suicide, and this photo was taken days before his final moments. He is pictured here with adjutant Julius Schaub in Berlin, Germany. This is considered to be the last known photo of the infamous dictator. 

Gary Box on 9/11

Box was one of the very first responders on the scene. 

September 11, 2001, is a day that tragically will live in infamy. News reports, videos, and images all documented the events of this day, including Gary Box. Here, Box is seen in the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel running towards the historical tragedy, risking and sadly losing his life. 

Inside Japan Flight 123 As It Goes Down

505 passengers and 15 crew members died, and four female passengers survived. 

On August 12th, 1985, Japan Airlines Flight 123 left from Tokoyo en route to Osaka. After 12 minutes, it became obvious that this was no routine flight. The plane decompressed suddenly and the stabilizer was destroyed, along with the plane's tail. Oxygen masks fell from the ceiling, pictured here. The photographer is unknown. 

Heath Ledger Before His Passing

The Dark Knight actor struggled with drug addiction throughout his career. 

Heath Ledger was an acting icon who passed away suddenly from cardiac arrest in his hotel room back in 2008. This addiction eventually led to health difficulties and ultimately, his death. 

Sharon Tate, Soon to Be Murdered

She is pictured here, pregnant, only days before the Manson murders.

Sharon Tate was a victim of the Manson family murders, along with her friends Jay Sebring, Wojciech Frykowski, and Abigail Folger. She is pictured here, pregnant, only days before the Manson murders. This photo was taken by Terry O'Neill, who later wrote, "Fifty years later these are still difficult photos to look at. Sharon was a beautiful young woman. Her ending is one of the most tragic stories of our generation."

Jimi Hendrix, 24 Hours Prior to Death

This photo was taken on September 17th, 1970, a day before his death.

Jimi Hendrix is one of the most famous musicians ever to walk the Earth. He is pictured here with his guitar, known as "Black Betty," enjoying a cup of tea. He passed away after asphyxiating on his own vomit.