20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Mirror
Couple's horrifying final moments after being left in shark-infested water
It's been 26 years since the chilling disappearance of Tom and Eileen Lonergan, a case that still sends shivers down the spine.
The terrifying vanishing of the couple spurred the making of a major movie after they were last seen diving near their boat tour on January 25, 1998, only to vanish without a trace. Regrettably, the baffling mystery around what happened to them has never been solved.
Tom and Eileen, both from America, had journeyed to Port Douglas in Northern Australia for what was meant to be an exhilarating vacation, but it turned into a nightmare. They found themselves abandoned in shark-ridden waters by late afternoon, some 40 miles off Queensland's shores, an ordeal so dreadful it later became the subject of a popular film.
Their trip was intended to be a dream holiday. Having completed a two-year stint with the Peace Corps in Tuvalu and Fiji, the Lonergans chose to explore the famed Great Barrier Reef.
Having met at university in Louisiana and married for ten years, reports the Daily Star detail their shared joy in traveling and diving, reports the Mirror US.
Eileen's enthusiasm for diving had evidently influenced Tom over time, and their voyage to Queensland was the pinnacle of their common passions – a trip that would sadly be their last together.
Yet, the happiness was tinged with looming unease. An uncanny note found in Eileen's diary just a fortnight before their ill-fated getaway hinted at Tom harbouring a "death wish".
She wrote: "He hopes to die a quick and painless death, and he hopes it happens soon. Tom's not suicidal, but he's got a death wish that could lead him to what he desires and I could get caught in that."
Their dream dive into the Great Barrier Reef in January 1998 quickly turned into a living nightmare when they were left behind by their tour boat, the Outer Edge. The other divers were unaware as the couple was stranded in dangerous waters off the Queensland coast, notorious for its massive, deadly tiger sharks.
Last seen enjoying the underwater wonders 12 meters deep, the Lonergans surfaced after nearly an hour to the horror of finding the Outer Edge had vanished, heading back to Port Douglas without them. It was a shocking two days before anyone realised the couple was missing.
Their absence was finally noted when skipper and owner Jack Nairn discovered their possessions, including a dive bag with wallet and papers, on his boat.
A desperate yet fruitless search ensued, and chilling evidence emerged over time. Items such as Eileen's undamaged wetsuit, inflatable jackets bearing their names, and most hauntingly, a dive slate from the following morning were discovered after their disappearance.
The heartbreaking message they left read: "To anyone W.H.O. can help us: We have been abandoned on A[gin]court Reef by MV Outer Edge 25 Jan 98 3pm. Please help us [come] to rescue us before we die. Help! ! !".
Despite the chilling scenario reminiscent of the movie Open Water, evidence suggested that a shark attack was improbable, and as the hours ticked away, the prospects of finding the Lonergans alive faded.
The occurrence turned into an international row between Australia and the US, with Outer Edge's legal team inferring the couple could have deliberately vanished, pointing to (leaked) diary entries as evidence for their stance.
Rumours of suicide or even a murder-suicide planned by Tom emerged, only to be strongly rebuffed by the Lonergans' family members, who dismissed such notions as slanderous and absurd. Eventually, culpability was assigned to the Outer Edge, with Nairn acknowledging his carelessness.
Coroner Noel Nunan firmly attributed blame to skipper Nairn in his concluding remarks at the inquiry into the disappearance, emphasising the duty of the skipper to ensure the well-being of passengers.
He 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."
Although Nairn escaped conviction by the jury, his firm, Outer Edge Boat Company, went under in the scandal's wake. The ordeal brought about regulatory reforms in Queensland, introducing a requirement for dive boat skippers to conduct roll calls for all divers aboard.
The chilling disappearance of the Lonergans inspired the 2003 hit film Open Water, which portrayed a young American couple left stranded after an ocean dive. The film struck a chord with audiences, especially in the US where it grossed $30 million on a shoestring budget.
Yet, despite the worldwide attention drawn by the Lonergans' disappearance - the political upheaval, the legal disputes, and the Hollywood dramatisation - it couldn't bring them back to shore.
