Worst Traveling Disasters of the 2000s

Travel has a tendency of being viewed as one of the most glamorous and adventurous things you can do. Truthfully, there's always a little bit of cool and overall epic adventure that you can expect—even when it comes to your morning commute.

However, glamour can quickly run out if you're not rich, and with adventure can come the possibility of serious injury, trauma, or even death. Travelers' insurance does exist for a reason, after all.

Nothing quite shows how bad traveling and vacation can be like looking at the worst traveling disasters of the 2000s. So, let's take a look at the following reasons why it's okay to want to invest in a staycation rather than a vacation.

American Airlines Flight 587

Only one month after the infamous 9/11 attacks, an American Airlines flight carrying several hundred passengers crashed in Belle Harbor, Queens. Amerian Airlines Flight 587 ended up killing over 200 people, including 5 people who were on the ground when the crash happened.

What makes this one of the worst traveling disasters of the 2000s isn't just the high death rate; it's the fact that it caused a huge amount of panic on top of the fear caused by the terrorist attacks in general.

Though investigation showed it was due to mechanical failure, that didn't help calm the minds of those who had just watched the towers fall. After all, Queens isn't too far from New York, NY.

The Seabourn Spirit Pirate Attack

The Seabourn Spirit was a cruise ship that was meant to have a nice, leisurely cruise in the Indian Ocean. It was only 100 miles away from the coast of Somalia when pirate ships attacked it with automatic rifles and rocket launchers.

The pirates managed to land a couple of serious hits before the captain change course and sailed away. None of the ship's 300 guests were injured, however it's safe to say that no one felt relaxed after taking this cruise.

The 2004 Tsunami

This was both one of the worst natural disasters and one of the worst traveling disasters of the 2000s. After a 9.0 earthquake occurred in the Indian Ocean in 2004, both locals and travelers were in for one of the most terrifying and deadly tsunamis ever seen in history.

The tsunami did the more damage than 23,000 Hiroshima-style nuclear bombs. Thailand and other major tourist countries throughout Southeast Asia bore the brunt of the damage—with over 150,000 people either confirmed dead or missing.

Many tourists' belongings were found among the wreckage, with the last photos on their cameras showing the increasingly rising water levels in the streets.

Mehran Karimi Nasseri

This is one of the worst travel disasters of the 2000s, and of the 90s, and of the late 80—and you already might know of it if you've watched The Terminal.

One poor man by the name of Mehran found out that his diplomatic papers were revoked mid-trip, despite him being an Iranian refugee. For Mehran, this made him a man with no citizenship and no visa. He couldn't leave the airport where he landed.

This meant that, for 17 years, his home was Charles De Gaulle Airport as authorities worked out the red tape for his case. While it only happened once, the truth is that this is still every traveler's worst nightmare.

When Steven Spielberg found out about Nasseri's issue, he decided to make a movie happen based on his tale. Perhaps that's poetic justice for some, because it did end up getting people involved streamlining the paperwork.

The Kiss in Dubai

Imagine going to a foreign country and accidentally breaking a law that you never knew existed. Such is what happened in 2009, to a British couple who decided to visit Dubai.

One can only imagine the shock on their faces when they found out that kissing was illegal, and that a very modest form of public affection was actually worthy of a jail sentence in the country. The two spent a month in prison for the offense, and also had to pay a $500 fine.

Similar occurrences have happened later on, including one woman who was jailed for coming into the country while pregnant and unmarried. When traveling, learn the culture—and always make a point to learn the laws that might not exist in your own country.

Zoom Airlines Folds

Little-known airline company, Zoom Air, was mired in debt from its startup with fuel costs causing the company to struggle making ends meet. However, they weren't going to get all fired up about it. They were going to continue to offer the service that people expect airlines to offer.

So, Zoom declared bankruptcy and stranded all their passengers at airports around the world without any notice. Many of the pilots didn't even realize they were jobless until they went to work that day.

Sadly, this is not a joke. On the business-side of travel, this was one of the worst traveling disasters of the 2000s, with many passengers who bought their tickets stranded in foreign countries due to the airline's nonexistent alert system.

Cartel Wars

At one point in history, going to Cancun for Spring Break was a rite of passage that every upper class bikini-clad girl would do when they had to cut loose at college. That time, though, has passed—all thanks to the drug cartel wars going on in Mexico.

As of right now, there have been cases of kidnappings and hostage situations reported South of the border. Cartel boss Carlos Montenegro also mentioned that he had accidentally kidnapped and killed a bunch of tourists, too.

The cartel wars are ongoing and murders are still happening on a fairly regular basis, so this continues to be one of the worst traveling disasters of the 2000s and 2010s. However, certain areas, such as Puebla, seem to be doing alright.