Haunting celeb disappearances - mystery plane crash to vanishing without trace

16 December 2023 , 17:45

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Richey Edwards of the Manic Street Preachers was presumed dead (Image: Getty Images)

Society is obsessed with celebrities - they're well-known faces that people keep tabs on, fascinated by their every move and daily lives.

Once in the spotlight, it's hard to get away from it. However, over the years, there have been some stars who have tragically appeared to have vanished in plain sight. From rock star Scott Smith who fell from a yacht to the legendary musician Glenn Miller whose plane disappeared, let's take a look at some of the enduring mysteries that have haunted fans ever since, as first reported by DailyStar.

Jim Sullivan

Singer Jim Sullivan's 1975 disappearance in New Mexico was racked with theories, with some believing he was abducted by aliens and others suspecting he was murdered. However, despite a decomposing body being found miles away from the Santa Rosa motel he had checked into, it was never officially confirmed to be him and no one truly knows what happened to the star.

On the day he vanished Jim, aged 34, was spotted buying a bottle of vodka, then again at a ranch some 26 miles away. His car was found abandoned with his possessions including guitar, money and papers inside.

Jim Sullivan's disappearance is shrouded in mystery (Light in The Attic Records/YouTube)

Joe Pichler

Joe Pichler, who starred in the beloved Beethoven movies, vanished in 2006 when he was just 18. He had called a friend, sounding "inconsolable" in the early hours of the morning. Four days later his car was found nearby to a large body of water and in it was a note about how he wanted a better role model for his younger brother, and a poem. The police deduced that he died by suicide but his body was never found. His family did not characterise his writing as a suicide note, with his brother Matthew stating, “He left that note saying that he wanted to start over.”

Nicola Bulley's children 'cried their eyes out' after being told 'mummy's lost'

Actor Joe Pichler vanished at 18 (Wikipedia)

Richey Edwards

In 1995, the disappearance of Richey Edwards, the guitarist of Manic Street Preachers, shocked the nation. The musician disappeared after checking out of a London hotel and heading off to drive to Wales across the Severn Bridge. Richey, age just 27, was widely presumed to have tragically taken his own life on the bridge as his car was found near the scene, and he was legally declared dead in 2008.

However, some conspiracy theorists claim this was not the case. The 2019 book "Withdrawn Traces: Searching for the Truth About Richey Manic" argues that the intended to vanish. As well as reports showing his childhood interest in disappearances and an admiration for artists living in exile. Additionally, on the day of his disappearance, a box containing "items which referred to disappearance" was found in his hotel room.

Scott Smith

Scott Smith was the bassist for the Canadian band Loverboy who had hits in the 1980s. In 2000 he decided to sail from the Canadian city to Mexico along with his fiancée and a close pal, Ben Ellis. When the group passed through the waters near San Francisco, the sea became very choppy. Ben went downstairs to get wet weather gear, and at this time the boat crashed into a 25-foot wave, and Scott, just 45 years old, was thrown overboard. Despite extensive searches, his body was never found, and because the water temperature was just 13 degrees Celsius, he was eventually declared dead.

Paul Dean, left, and Scott Smith of the band Loverboy (Getty Images)

Glenn Miller

1940s musical icon and US Army Major Glenn Miller had been planning to perform for Allied troops during WWII when he seemingly vanished. The hit composer, conductor and recording artist released music with his orchestra which was the best-selling band from 1939 to 1942. However in 1944, his plane from England to France vanished over the English Channel.

Joe Loss, Dame Vera Lynn and Glenn Miller at RAF Burtonwood Warrington (RAF Burtonwood Association / Wally Baldwin)

Glenn is believed to have died onboard because the fuel intake froze over, causing the plane to crash over the ocean. Dennis Spragg, Senior consultant to the Glenn Miller Archive, said: “The icing took three forms: engine icing, carburettor icing and induction ice. And that’s the kind of ice that forms on the fuel tanks and fuel lines, feeding fuel to the engine.” The star's remains were never found and it is thought that the aircraft disintegrated on impact, instantly killing all the passengers.

Lydia Veljanovski