Thomas and Eileen Lonergan

Thomas and Eileen Lonergan were on a dive trip on the Great Barrier Reef. When the boat returned to shore the Lonergans did not disembark. Two days later the dive company realised that they had an extra dive bag containing the couple’s dry clothes and Mr Lonergan’s glasses, wallet, and papers. Realising that they were missing an air and sea search was launched but it failed to find them. Eventually Mr Lonergans BCD was washed up along with their dive slate stating that they had been left at Agincourt Reef. Mrs Lonergans shredded wetsuit was also washed up. Rumours of suicide, a failing marriage and reluctance to return to the US began to emerge leading to speculation that they had faked their deaths. Their bank accounts were not accessed after their disappearance and their insurance policies were never claimed. Claims of pseudocide and suicide were rejected by the coroner and the skipper of the dive boat was charged with their unlawful killing. 8 years later a fin inscribed with the name ‘Lonergan’ was found by the Thong Man on a beach south of Townsville.

A movie, Open Water (2003) is a dramatised account of their story.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_and_Eileen_Lonergan

Other events where pseudocide was mistakenly speculated: Steve Fossett

Pseudocides involving disappearance at sea: Bennie Wint, John Darwin, Patrick McDermott, Bruce Leyte, Harry Gordon, David Friedland
Unexplained boating disappearance: Kaz II

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