15 Years STRANDED On The Isle Of Sand

This is Tromelin Island. It is exactly as barren as it looks. So much so that it used to be known simply as the Isle of Sand. In 1761, almost a hundred people captured from their homeland were abandoned here, and most of them were never seen or heard from again. This is their horrifying story.

Attributions/Special Thanks for Photographs:
Google Earth, Data SIO, NOAA, U.S. Navy, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Louis Bouscary, NOAA Sanctuaries

Writing and research by Jay Adams

This video contains light dramatic reenactment but no actual footage or pictures of anyone being harmed or who has been harmed.

Note: 9: 48, 6: 34, and 10: 14 are NOT real images.

And a huge thank you to the Scary Interesting team of writers, editors, captioners, and everyone else who makes this channel possible.

[Simlatio]

Hats off to the guy who kept his word, pestering the authorities for years to send a ship to rescue them, even in the face of repeated refusals.

[laurenanderson]

Imagine being left behind on that island and watching the ship you helped build, sail away. Man..

[jai]

Ive flown over this island on my way to Mauritius. It is stunning but unbelievably remote, incredibly barren and TINY! How anyone survived here more than a few weeks let alone 15 years is astonishing.

[TAKATNIC]

The Malagasy survived there for 15 years against all odds but they named the island after the bloke who finally got around to rescuing them? Fucking hell.

[corygrell]

There needs to be a movie made about this. This is one of the craziest stories I have ever heard.

[thisfatgirlruns]

I've lost count of the amount of times I've gasped in shock or horror during this story. I'm amazed the guy persisted for so long to try and send rescue, he could have easily assumed they'd all have died after a year or two.

[bone]

This is the most bizarre but impressive story I've ever heard... There needs to be a monument raised on the island for the survivors.

[qjeymyl]

How has this not been made into a movie yet?? This story is incredible!

[twixthehyena]

These must have been some really mentally strong people. They were literally lost, but still remained determined to make the best out of their terrible situation.

[TheSirondil]

Surviving 15 years on a sand island with no resources is unbelievably impressive

[rollovaughan]

I’ve been reading about some Russian fishermen that got stranded on a desolate island in the artic a few hundred years ago.
They survived for seven years in the artic temperatures whilst fighting off polar bears with spears. Quite a story.

[Mgmorris]

they are so much stronger mentally than I could ever be. even one year is insane but 15 is unbelievable

[amelise]

What an absolutely horrifying amount of injustice against these people. Its terrifying how humans can treat each other.

[thurayya]

When I looked at the island, I couldn't believe anyone could survive for days, let alone years, at all. These people were heroic in their ability and determination to survive. My heart goes out to the ones who were left behind in chains to go down with the ship.

[vojtechpinc]

This is definitelly one of the most visually pleasing videos I've seen in many years. Thank you!

[samuelm]

I can’t imaging hearing the ocean every day constantly for 15 years. The waves, birds, wind, and then finally being rescued the peace and quiet they must of felt being inland again.

[Neptunequeen]

Jesus, this is the most fucked up scenario that could possibly be constructed for these poor people. Getting captured by slavers, then shipwrecked, then watching their captors leave without them and never coming back, all the cultural taboos they were forced to violate, multiple false starts for rescues and escapes, the island itself being nothing but a sand platform in the middle of nowhere, it feels more like a heavy-handed horror story than real history.

[Pewnhound]

The most insane example of “adapt or die” I’ve ever heard of. The Malagasy didn’t make lemonade out of lemons, they built the Sistine chapel out of lemons. It’s too bad there aren’t more detailed accounts of what went on during those 15 years.

[prtorian]

Good on you for bringing this story to more ears, the men and women abandoned deserved so much better. Thank you for telling their story in an amazing way with such beautiful visuals. Keep making amazing content.

[Monsterenergy]

Just checked out the island on Google Earth, yeah not much there at all - 15 years is crazy.