Uploaded September 2023 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
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"I think I can make it."
Those were the last known words of Michael Rockefeller, the young American adventurer and heir to the prominent Rockefeller fortune, before he vanished in the remote Asmat region of southwestern Netherlands New Guinea in 1961. His baffling disappearance has since captivated the world, spawning countless theories and investigations.
The youngest son of New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller, Michael was not content with simply inheriting a fortune. Inspired by a passion for primitive art, the 23-year-old embarked on an expedition to collect artifacts from the Asmat tribes.
The Asmat people, residing in a dense swampy region, were known for their intricate wood carvings and headhunting rituals, a practice that was waning but not entirely extinct by the 1960s.
In November 1961, while on the Arafura Sea, Michael's boat overturned. He and his expedition partner, Rene Wassing, clung to the boat's hull, drifting with the current. After spending a night on the capsized vessel, with land barely visible in the distance, Rockefeller uttered his fateful words: "I think I can make it."
Opting to swim ashore while Wassing stayed behind, Michael strapped two empty gasoline cans to himself for buoyancy and plunged into the water. Wassing was later rescued by a passing ship, but Michael was never seen again.
The official search for Michael lasted just ten days, after which he was presumed drowned or killed by a shark or saltwater crocodile. However, this explanation was unsatisfactory for many. How could a young, fit man, equipped with makeshift flotation devices, drown while swimming to nearby land...?
Thanks to Bespoke Post for sponsoring this video! New subscribers get 20% off their first box of awesome — go to bespokepost.com/dark20 and enter code DARK20 at checkout.
"I think I can make it."
Those were the last known words of Michael Rockefeller, the young American adventurer and heir to the prominent Rockefeller fortune, before he vanished in the remote Asmat region of southwestern Netherlands New Guinea in 1961. His baffling disappearance has since captivated the world, spawning countless theories and investigations.
The youngest son of New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller, Michael was not content with simply inheriting a fortune. Inspired by a passion for primitive art, the 23-year-old embarked on an expedition to collect artifacts from the Asmat tribes.
The Asmat people, residing in a dense swampy region, were known for their intricate wood carvings and headhunting rituals, a practice that was waning but not entirely extinct by the 1960s.
In November 1961, while on the Arafura Sea, Michael's boat overturned. He and his expedition partner, Rene Wassing, clung to the boat's hull, drifting with the current. After spending a night on the capsized vessel, with land barely visible in the distance, Rockefeller uttered his fateful words: "I think I can make it."
Opting to swim ashore while Wassing stayed behind, Michael strapped two empty gasoline cans to himself for buoyancy and plunged into the water. Wassing was later rescued by a passing ship, but Michael was never seen again.
The official search for Michael lasted just ten days, after which he was presumed drowned or killed by a shark or saltwater crocodile. However, this explanation was unsatisfactory for many. How could a young, fit man, equipped with makeshift flotation devices, drown while swimming to nearby land...?
