List of people who were decapitated
The following is a list of people who were decapitated, arranged alphabetically by country or region and with date of decapitation. These individuals lost their heads accidentally. This includes animal-related deaths. A list of people who lost their heads through execution or murder can be found at List of people who were beheaded.
Australia
- Shirley Ann Durdin (1985) – Durdin was decapitated by a great white shark while snorkeling in Port Lincoln, South Australia; she was eaten alive[1][2]
- Kerry McLoughlin (1987) – Decapitated by a saltwater crocodile at Cahills Crossing, Northern Territory[3]
Argentina
- Oscar Lofeudo (1998) – Decapitated in a TC pre-race qualifying in Rafaela circuit; Lofeudo was then co-driver along with Raúl Petrich (driver who also died).
- Daniel Ponce (2001) – Decapitated in a pick-up race, in San Martín, Mendoza.
- Matías Viapiano (2003) – Decapitated in a karting race in Estación Aráoz, Tucumán.[4]
Chile
- José Larenas Miranda (1980) – decapitated by a great white shark.[5]
France
- Jean Larivière (1951) – decapitated in racing car crash in the 1951 24 Hours of Le Mans
- Gerry Birrell (1973) – decapitated in racing car crash
Germany
Modern Germany
- Csaba Kesjár (1988) - decapitated in a German Formula 3 race, at the Norisring.
Great Britain
- Henry Byng, 4th Earl of Strafford (1899) – decapitated by a train at Potters Bar railway station[6]
- Donald Campbell (1967) – decapitated in crash of his hydroplane Bluebird K7 during world water speed record attempt in Coniston Water.
Netherlands/Belgium
- Chris Bristow (1960) – decapitated in racing car crash in the 1960 Belgian Grand Prix.
- Alain Vincx (1987) – decapitated in car racing stunt challenge at Circuit Zandvoort.[7][8]
Palestine
- Ismail al-Ghoul (2024) – decapitated by an Israeli airstrike.[9]
Papua New Guinea
- Melas Mero (2014) – decapitated by a saltwater crocodile[10]
Philippines
- Unnamed girl (2009) – decapitated by a saltwater crocodile[11]
Portugal
- Paulo Jorge Caracitas (2000) – decapitated while kart racing, when the scarf he was using got stuck in the drive shaft.[12]
Romania
- Nicolae Labiș (1956) – fell off of a tram while going to a friend's house and was decapitated when his head hit the pavement between the two trams in University Square, Bucharest.
United States
- Tom Ketchum (1901) – accidentally decapitated in New Mexico Territory in a botched hanging for train robbery
- Eva Dugan (1930) – decapitated in a botched hanging for murder
- Denny Keith (1964) – decapitated in racing car crash
- Charles Bassett (1966) – decapitated in a crash of a T-38 jet aircraft[13]
- Les Ritchey (1966) – decapitated in a drag racing crash
- Ken Kotalac (1969) – decapitated in a drag bike racing crash
- Rocky Marciano (1969) – decapitated when his airplane crashed
- Jim Croce (1973) – decapitated when his airplane crashed
- Helmut Koinigg (1974) – decapitated in a racing car crash in the 1974 United States Grand Prix after his racing car went under the sharp guardrails
- Boris Sagal (1981) – decapitated by the tail rotor blades of a helicopter[14]
- Vic Morrow and Myca Dinh Le (1982) – decapitated by a crashing helicopter during film shoot for Twilight Zone: The Movie
- Three members of the crew of Piper PA-28-181 Archer at the Cerritos mid-air collision (1986)
- Doug Vermeer (1987) – decapitated in a car racing crash
- Dave Prater (1988) – decapitated in a high-speed car crash
- Jim Brouk (1990) – decapitated in a car racing crash
- Randy Hill (1993) – decapitated in a stunt car challenge; in a botched attempt at a mid-air collision, Hill's car was too low, its roof was sheared off, and Hill's head was crushed[15]
- Russell Phillips (1995) – decapitated in a racing car crash at Charlotte Motor Speedway
- Eldon Hoke (1997) – decapitated by a train
- Randy Fry (2004) – decapitated by a great white shark[16]
- Katie Flynn (2005) – decapitated in a car crash[17]
- Asia Leeshawn Ferguson (2008) – decapitated after being struck by the Batman: The Ride roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia
- Caleb Schwab (2016) – the 10-year-old son of Kansas state representative Scott Schwab, decapitated while sliding down the world's tallest water slide (Verrückt) at Schlitterbahn Kansas City in Kansas City, Kansas[18][19]
References
- ^ "Most Horrifying Shark Attacks in History – TomorroWoman". 6 November 2016. Archived from the original on November 27, 2016. Retrieved 25 February 2017.
- ^ "World's 10 worst shark attacks". 14 January 2010. Retrieved 25 February 2017.
- ^ "Man taken by croc while standing in boat". www.ntnews.com.au. 8 June 2014.
- ^ "A Driver Dies in a Terrible Accident. Drama in Estación Aráoz". La Gaceta.
- ^ "Miranda" (PDF). sharkattackfile.net. 1980. Retrieved 2020-05-02.
- ^ "Earl of Strafford Killed; Decapitated by an Express Train at a Railroad". The New York Times. 17 May 1899. Retrieved 8 May 2010.
- ^ "Deadly accident Alain Vincx on 25th of may 1987". YouTube. 10 August 2008. Retrieved 2022-08-09.
- ^ Redactie; Belga (2020-12-09). "Lichaam van stuntman opgegraven in onderzoek naar Bende van Nijvel". De Morgen (in Dutch). Retrieved 2022-08-09.
- ^ Knell, Yolande (2 August 2024). "Al Jazeera rebuffs Israeli claim killed journalist was Hamas operative". bbc.com. BBC. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
- ^ "Boy, 11, eaten by crocodile in Papua New Guinea". the ffleetGuardian. Agence France-Presse. 14 May 2014. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
- ^ "- ABS-CBN News". Retrieved 25 February 2017.
- ^ "Karting: Morte de um jovem choca amantes da modalidade - Modalidades - Jornal Record".
- ^ Evans, Ben (March 5, 2012). ""A Bad Call": The Accident Which Almost Lost Project Gemini". AmericaSpace. Archived from the original on September 30, 2020. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
- ^ "Film director Boris Sagal, 58, was fatally injured fatally..." United Press International. May 23, 1981.
- ^ "Stunt Cars Collide At Wrong Angle; Driver Killed". Associated Press. AP. November 15, 1993.
- ^ "5. Randy Fry". HowStuffWorks. 2 May 2008. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
- ^ "THE ISLAND – A Wedding, A Crash, A Family's Pain". The New York Times. 1 October 2006. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
- ^ "Source: Boy who died at Schlitterbahn was decapitated". Retrieved 25 February 2017.
- ^ Kennedy, Merrit (23 November 2016). "World's Tallest Waterslide To Be Demolished After Boy's Death". NPR. Retrieved 25 February 2017.