The majority of teenagers would hate being sent away from their families and friends, especially if they were to be sent to a Catholic residential school where there were rigid rules that had to be followed.
Australian teenager Keith Sapsford, then 14 years old, experienced a similar situation in 1970. After only a few weeks, he made the decision to flee, demonstrating his determination to escape this predicament, but he made no decision to return home.
Instead, he made the decision to leave Australia entirely. Keith Sapsford left his school and drove himself to the Sydney airport. Keith got to the airport and snuck onto the tarmac where a few planes were waiting.
He managed to escape on one plane that was bound for Tokyo, Japan. He gave in to temptation and entered the open undercarriage of the Japan Air Lines.
What drove him to make this desperate move?
The History of Keith Sapsford
Events that took place months before Keith stepped out onto that tarmac affected his choices and ultimately caused him to climb onto that plane’s wheel well. Keith’s father, Charles Sapsford, had told his son a story about a Spanish boy who had perished as a result of climbing into an airplane’s undercarriage.
Without a pressurized compartment, that boy had been exposed to the high altitude. It ultimately resulted in his death.
Keith’s father had hoped to talk his daring son out of taking such a chance, but it seems to have motivated him to board a plane for Japan. Keith, who was born in 1956, was a curious young man who enjoyed being active.
In fact, his family had just returned from a trip abroad to sate his wanderlust. Unfortunately, he had a tendency to disappear, and even a lengthy international trip could not stop his wanderlust.
But when they got back home, Keith Sapsford started to feel restless. His parents decided that he needed some structure and formalized discipline. Keith was deemed to be best suited for Boys’ Town, a Roman Catholic school situated in Sydney’s southern region.
This facility specialized in working with troubled kids who required structure and a formal system of discipline. Helping him find the best path seemed right in their parents’ eyes.
Keith was only in the institution for two weeks before he was able to escape because the facility misjudged his sense of adventure. Keith may not have even known the plane’s destination when he climbed into the wheel well; it is unclear what made him decide to go to the airport.
It is not surprising that a teenager was able to sneak onto the tarmac because regulations at major airports were simpler than those we deal with today.
Keith decided to take a chance when he saw a Douglas DC-8 getting ready to take off. Unlike that Spanish boy, he believed he would be able to survive because Keith would be in the wheel well. Keith thought he could escape the perils of exposure to high altitude.
Keith Sapsford did not realize, however, that after takeoff, when the plane’s wheels retracted, the wheel-well compartment would reopen. Keith died after falling 200 feet as a result of that.
The evidence, in his father’s opinion, suggested that Keith might have also been mowed down by the wheels as they tried to retract. In either case, a family suffered a tragic loss of life and heartbreak as a result. That heartbreak would last for more than 40 years, until his parents died.
One study by the U.S. Federal Aviation Authority revealed that only one out of every four stowaways on an airplane make it through the flight. On short, low-altitude flights, survivors board as stowaways; however, when an aircraft reaches cruising altitude, there are no surviving stowaways.
Statistics show that over the course of 85 flights, there were 96 attempts to stow away in the wheel-well compartments between 1947 and 2012. 23 of them were still alive. Thus, 73 people lost their lives while trying to obtain a free trip.
Ignoring this information and making an attempt to stow away can end tragically, as Keith Sapsford’s tale demonstrates.
A Photographer Snaps Heartbreaking Fall
John Gilpin, a beginner photographer, just so happened to be at the airport. He was photographing activities at the airport in the hopes that one or two would turn out well. John would eventually capture Keith Sapsford as he plunged to his death, despite the fact that he was unaware of this at the time.
Before the plane took off, Keith had already spent a number of hours in the wheel well. Experts later discovered handprints, footprints, and clothing threads when they examined the plane. To demonstrate that Keith had boarded the aircraft, they required all available proof.
Even more tragically, Keith would have probably frozen or suffocated to death if he hadn’t fallen out of the plane. It was not oxygenated and the compartment reached freezing temperatures.
Keith Sapsford had little insulation against the change in temperature that would happen as the plane rose to its cruising altitude because he was only wearing a short-sleeved shirt and shorts. There wasn’t enough room in their compartment for both him and the retracting wheels, so even they posed a threat.
Surprisingly, John didn’t become aware of what he had photographed until almost a week later. John noticed a print of a boy falling from the plane feet first while developing his photos from the day at the airport. He appeared to be reaching up with his hands in an effort to grab onto something and prevent falling.
The image serves as a chilling reminder of the young boy’s tragic death while making a last-ditch effort to leave his school and see the outside world.
8 Interesting Facts About The Unsinkable Ship, TITANIC
If you ask your friends what's the most famous ship in history the answer in most cases will be the same, of course the legendary Titanic. Its history is full of mysteries, at first it was a source of hope and national pride as well as proof of the triumphs of mankind but it soon became a source of nostalgia and pain, the extent of which cannot be described in words.
Xin Zhui And The Story Of The Stunningly Intact Lady Dai Mummy
A 2,000-year-old mummy of a Chinese woman, Xin Zhui, also known as “Lady Dai,” was preserved in 21 gallons of an “unknown liquid.” With her original hair, organs, eyebrows, and eyelashes intact, the mummy still has blood in her veins. Her skin and ligaments are soft and as flexible as that of a living person.
The Day an Israeli F-15 Landed with One Wing: Zivi Nedivi’s Unbelievable Mid-Air Survival
Discover the astonishing true story of Israeli pilot Zivi Nedivi, who safely landed an F-15 after a mid-air collision tore off its entire right wing. Learn how skill, quick thinking, and the F-15’s unique design turned a disaster into a legendary feat in aviation history
The worst blizzard in recorded history: the 1972 Iran blizzard
The deadliest snowstorm ever recorded occurred in Iran in 1972. It lasted for a week, burying areas in 26 feet of snow and killing over 4,000 people, including the entire populations of three villages.
Atomic Tourism: In the 1950s, nuclear tests in Las Vegas served as a draw for tourists
Between 1950 and 1960, Las Vegas offered “Atomic Tourism” in which guests could watch atomic bombs being tested in the desert as a form of entertainment.
Irena Sendler: woman who rescued Jews during holocaust
Irene Sendler was the Zegota resistance group's head of the children's department. She risked her life to smuggle children out of the Warsaw ghetto, place them with Polish families or orphanages, give each child a new identity, and keep records so that they could be returned to their families. In 1943, the Gestapo arrested and sentenced her to death, but she was rescued by Zegota.
Top 10 Greatest and shocking Archaeological Discoveries of All Time
While we're all locked at home, there's no better way to escape to another time and place than to learn about amazing archeological sites and discoveries from around the world. Here are the 10 greatest and shocking archaeological discoveries —and don't be shocked if they inspire future trip plans whenever it's safe to do so again.
10 world’s most destructive and dangerous volcanic eruptions in history
Volcanic eruptions can devastate cities, change the world's atmosphere, and devastate economic systems. They can create molten lava rivers, mudslides, suffocating ash, and poisonous gases that cause chaos around the world for years. A volcanic explosion's effects can be massive, from its size to its death toll to its economic cost. Here is ten world’s most destructive and dangerous volcanic eruptions in history.
Jack the Baboon operated a railroad, earned a living, and never made a mistake
A baboon worked as a signalman for the railroad in the late 1800s. He never made a mistake and worked for the railroad until the day he died.
The true story of Annie Oakley, legendary sharpshooter
Anne Oakley was such a good shooter that she could split a playing card help edge-on, hit dimes thrown into the air, shoot cigarette from her husband's lips, and pierce a playing card thrown into the air before it hit the ground.
Why the Brooklyn Bridge Was Once Crossed by 17 Camels and 21 Elephants
On May 30, 1883, a rumor that the Brooklyn Bridge was going to collapse caused a stampede, which killed at least at twleve people. To prove the bridge was safe, P.T. Barnum led a parade of 21 elephants over it.
Albert Einstein’s brain after it was stolen from his body
Albert Einstein's brain was taken by the opportunistic pathologist who performed his autopsy hours after he died and kept in two jars for 30 years. The stolen brain of Albert Einstein was preserved in a cookie jar for 30 years until being discovered by a journalist.
15 interesting facts about Queen Elizabeth II
Queen Elizabeth II, who ruled Britain for 70 years, has away at the age of 96. She was the country's longest-reigning monarch. Here are some little-known facts about her.
Reason Behind The Suicide Of Christine Chubbuck Live On Air
Actor Rebecca Hall had serious reservations about tackling the macabre story around why Chubbuck killed herself in 1974. So what changed her mind?
Medals of Friendship: The Enduring Olympic Story of 1936
At the 1936 Summer Olympics, two Japanese pole vaulters named Sueo Oe and Shuhei Nishida tied for second, but they declined to compete against each other. As a result, Nishida was awarded the silver medal and Oe won a bronze medal. Upon returning to Japan, the athletes had their medals cut in half and spliced together to create new "friendship medals," which were half silver and half bronze.
Poto And Cabengo: The Secret Language Of Twins
Poto and Cabengo, as the two girls called each other, communicated in their own language. The twins were ignored by their parents and secluded from the outside world because their father felt they were developmentally retarded, and their unique language evolved as a result of that neglect.
The Littlest Skyscraper: How J.D. McMahon’s 480-Inch Con Fooled Investors in 1919
In 1919, J.D. McMahon convinced investors to fund a 480-foot skyscraper, but he labeled the plans as 480 inches, building a 40-foot structure instead. After taking $200,000, he won in court since the plans matched what he built.
George Dantzig solved two famous “unsolved” problems in statistics mistakenly as assignment
In 1939, George Dantzig arrived late to his statistics class. On the board were two famous “unsolved” problems in statistics written as an example by his professor. Dantzig mistook the examples for homework assignments. He solved the “unsolved” problems and submitted the homework to his professor a few days later. His solutions earned him a doctorate.
History of Treadmill, punishment for prisoners
Treadmills were originally a punishment used to harness human power on a giant wheel used to grind grains, hence the name "treadmill." The History of Treadmill
Louis Le Prince Invented the motion picture camera, and then he mysteriously disappeared
Louis Le Prince, the inventor of motion pictures, vanished without a trace in 1890. Thomas Edison quickly claimed the title of "first and sole inventor of cinema," even taking Le Prince's son to court to dispute it. A few years later, the son also dies under mysterious circumstances.
Nearest Green, America's first known Black master distiller
Nathan "Nearest" Green was an African-American head stiller who is now more frequently referred to as a master distiller. He was renowned for imparting his distilling knowledge to Jack Daniel, the creator of Jack Daniel's Tennessee whiskey distiller, after Jack Daniel was freed from slavery following the American Civil War.
The Tragic Story Of Mary Ann Bevan, The ‘Ugliest Woman In The World’
After the death of her husband, Mary Ann Bevan had no income to support herself and her children. She then decided to enter a contest where she won the title of “ugliest woman” and was later hired by a circus. She endured this ridicule from the world to provide for her family.
Vince Coleman, a railway dispatcher, sacrificed his own life
Vince Coleman, a railway dispatcher, sacrificed his life in order to warn an incoming train of an imminent explosion. His telegraph said “Hold up the train. Ammunition ship afire in harbor making for Pier 6 and will explode. Guess this will be my last message. Good-bye, boys.” He saved 300 lives.
From Flapper to Fashion Week: How 1920s Style Still Shapes Modern Trends
The roaring 1920s revolutionized fashion, introducing bold styles, daring cuts, and a spirit of freedom that still inspires today’s wardrobes. From flapper dresses to statement accessories, here’s how the Jazz Age lives on in modern fashion.
Thomas Baker's heroic act that earned him the "Medal of Honor" was 8 bullets until death
Thomas Baker instructed his team to leave him with a pistol and eight bullets propped up against a tree after he was injured. Later, American troops discovered the now-deceased Baker in the same location, lying next to eight dead Japanese soldiers and carrying an empty pistol.
