Ernest Hemingway – how not to visit Murchison Falls Park
Ernest Hemingway Crashed an Airplane at Murchison Falls in Uganda and is considered Dead by the World.
Ernest Hemingway, one of the most celebrated American authors of the 20th century, had a fateful encounter with Murchison Falls during his African adventures. Hemingway’s deep love for Africa and his passion for safari led him to visit the continent multiple times, each experience leaving an indelible mark on his life and work.
During one of his trips to Africa, Hemingway’s plane, a Cessna-180, crash-landed at Murchison Falls, a stunning natural wonder located within Murchison Falls National Park. This unexpected turn of events was certainly not the recommended way to visit the park, and it profoundly impacted Hemingway’s life.
In a twist of unfortunate luck, while Hemingway was being rescued by another plane following the crash, that plane also crashed during takeoff. This second accident resulted in significant injuries to Hemingway, which affected him for the rest of his life.
Despite his challenges and tragedies during this safari, Hemingway’s love for Africa remained unwavering. His experiences in Africa inspired him to write notable works such as “Green Hills of Africa,” “The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber,” and “The Snows of Kilimanjaro.” His deep connection to Africa is evident in his own words: “All I wanted to do was get back to Africa. We had not left it yet, but when I woke at night, I would lie, listening, homesick for it already.”
Today, Murchison Falls Park stands as Uganda’s most visited national park, attracting numerous visitors who witness the awe-inspiring beauty of the falls and the abundant wildlife that inhabits the area. However, many of these visitors may be unaware of the dramatic events that unfolded there, impacting one of the greatest American authors of all time.
Hemingway’s crash at Murchison Falls reminds us of the unpredictability and challenges that can arise during a safari adventure. While his experience was undoubtedly tragic, it further emphasizes the allure and mystique of Africa and the powerful impact it had on Hemingway’s life and literary legacy.
Ernest Hemingway Crashes in Airplane at Murchison Falls Park
On January 23, 1954, Ernest Hemingway and his wife, Mary Welsh Hemingway, embarked on a chartered Cessna-180 from Nairobi, Kenya, for a fly-over safari to Uganda’s Murchison Falls Park. The trip was a belated Christmas present for Mary, with the seasoned African pilot Roy Marsh at the controls.
As they soared above Africa’s breathtaking landscapes, including the Great Rift Valley, Lake Victoria, and Lake Albert, Hemingway eagerly anticipated seeing Murchison Falls, the World’s most powerful waterfall, from the air. The plan was to fly low over the falls for a closer view.
However, as they approached the falls, disaster struck. The plane’s rear snagged a telephone wire, causing the aircraft to crash in a brushy area near the falls. Although the helicopter sustained relatively minor damage, it could not take off from its current location.
Despite the crash, Hemingway, his wife, and the pilot survived, albeit with non-life-threatening injuries. They were in a unique situation—unexpected drop-in tourists in Murchison Falls Park. Their day they had taken an unforeseen turn, transforming their sightseeing trip into an unplanned wilderness experience.
Surrounded by elephants, buffaloes, lions, leopards, hippos, crocodiles, and other wildlife, Hemingway and his companions found themselves in an unconventional predicament. The crash site was far from a romantic scene from “Out of Africa”; instead, it resembled an episode of “Survivor” without any backup support. The pilot made distress calls with the functioning radio, but there was no response.
Lacking food, water, or provisions, they had only a few Carlsberg beers, a bottle of Scotch, some apples, and a few biscuits. These supplies were hardly adequate for a night in the African bush.
To ward off wild animals, they kept a fire going at night. However, they were plagued by tsetse flies during the day and mosquitoes at night, making their situation even more challenging.
Sleep was likely elusive, with the rushing waters of the falls and the sounds of roaring lions, trumpeting elephants, and snorting hippos echoing through the night.
By 5 pm on January 24, Hemingway’s Cessna was reported missing, and some speculated that they had landed at one of the nearby airstrips. The search efforts intensified on January 25, 1954, with the British Colonial administration dispatching planes to aid in the search. A British Overseas Airways Corporation pilot even diverted his commercial flight to assist and spotted the crash site, remarking that Hemingway had done a “neat job” of landing the aircraft.
Subsequently, the colonial administration dispatched two planes to confirm the commercial pilot’s report and guide a ground rescue team to the location. Regrettably, no survivors were found, and the rescuers hoped that Hemingway, his wife, and the pilot had reached the nearby River Nile, approximately 300 meters from the crash site.
The news of Ernest Hemingway’s presumed death spread worldwide, with newspapers proclaiming the tragic loss of the acclaimed author, his wife, and the pilot. However, Hemingway was one of the few to read his obituaries as he recovered from the ordeal at the New Stanley Hotel in Nairobi.
The Unlikely Rescue by a Sightseeing Boat on the Nile
After the crash at Murchison Falls, Hemingway, his wife, and the pilot embarked on a journey down the River Nile, hoping for rescue. In Hemingway’s own words, he described the moment they spotted a launch on the river:
“During this Safari, we had seen mirages when the sun got high, and at the sight of this launch, I thought first that I must check my eyesight. I called Miss Mary and told her that a launch was coming up the river.”
The launch was piloted by Edwiges Abreo, a Goan who had been informed by the British authorities to be on the lookout for Hemingway’s party. Abreo brought a honeymoon couple to the falls on a wildlife boat safari.
To Hemingway’s delight, he discovered that the launch they encountered was the SS Murchison, which had been used in filming “The African Queen.” Hemingway later wrote, “It was a wonderful launch, fairly old-fashioned in lines, and we later found that it was the vessel which had been used in the motion picture called The African Queen, which starred two intrepid characters called Katharine Hepburn, who has my great admiration, and Humphrey Bogart, whom I have never yet seen in real life.”
Captain Abreo charged Hemingway the required fee of one hundred Shillings per person before taking them downriver to Butiaba along Lake Albert, where the Nile flows. Hemingway enjoyed the wildlife boat ride, savoring the experience as tourists do today, accompanied by a few Tusker Beers.
This encounter with Captain Abreo and the SS Murchison marked a turning point for Hemingway and his party, leading them closer to safety and ultimately becoming a memorable part of their African adventure.
The second Airplane Crash
At Butiaba, one of the search planes awaited Hemingway and his party to evacuate them to Nairobi for medical treatment. However, their misfortune continued. During takeoff, the aircraft collided with an anthill and thornbush at the end of the runway, resulting in a second crash.
In a display of incredible strength, Hemingway used his body to force open the plane, exacerbating his already severe injuries. He was the first to exit the aircraft, followed by his wife and the crew. Shortly after their escape, the plane caught fire and burned.
The second crash inflicted significant injuries on Hemingway, including a concussion, scalp wound, double vision, intermittent hearing in his left ear, a crushed vertebra, and ruptured liver, spleen, and kidney. Additionally, he suffered burns. The incident also resulted in the loss of their passports, exposed film rolls, Ernest’s three pairs of bifocals, all their money, and their $15,000 letter of credit, consumed by the fire and explosion.
Following the second crash, Hemingway and his party traveled to Masindi by car, where they sought refuge at the Masindi Hotel, the oldest hotel in Uganda. Interestingly, three years prior, Katharine Hepburn, Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, and John Huston had stayed at the same hotel while filming “The African Queen.”
It is rumored that the evening of the second crash saw a significant depletion of the gin and Scotch stock at the Masindi Hotel, likely due to Hemingway and his companions seeking solace in those spirits.
The next day, Hemingway and his party embarked on a long journey by road to Entebbe Airport. Upon arrival, they were met by journalists from around the World who had been covering the crash. Despite his injuries and pain, Hemingway spoke and even joked with the reporters.
In Nairobi, Hemingway recovered at the New Stanley Hotel, where he had the opportunity to read his obituary in various international newspapers.
The crashes and subsequent ordeals had undoubtedly taken a toll on Hemingway. It has been suggested that the injuries he sustained in the second crash contributed to severe bouts of depression and, ultimately, his tragic suicide.
However, amidst the turmoil of 1954, there was one shining moment for Hemingway. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature for his mastery of narrative art, notably demonstrated in his most recent work, “The Old Man and the Sea.”
The headlines in Uganda at the time focused on Ernest Hemingway’s crashes at Murchison Falls, highlighting the events that unfolded. Nowadays, visitors can easily experience the power of the falls without the risk of crashing, either through a safe fly-in or drive-in safari.
Ernest Hemingway’s Crashes in Airplane at Murchison Falls were the headlines in Uganda. You can easily visit the most powerful without crashing on a safe fly-In or drive-in SSafari Feel free to contact us.
