Jean-François de La Pérouse’s 1788 disappearance in the Pacific

Record summary

Jean-François de La Pérouse’s expedition disappeared after leaving Botany Bay in 1788, leading to centuries of speculation about its fate. Later evidence, including material recovered at Vanikoro, established a conventional shipwreck explanation associated with reefs and severe maritime conditions. The case matters because missing-vessel mysteries are sometimes folded into UFO or paranormal narratives despite archaeological resolution. Primary voyage journals end before the disappearance, while later searches and maritime archaeology reconstruct events from indirect evidence. Any claimed anomalous sighting must therefore be separated from the actual disappearance record.