Australia's PM Vanishes: The Unsolved Mystery of Harold Holt's Disappearance

• Australian PM Harold Holt disappeared on December 17, 1967, while swimming at Cheviot Beach, Victoria.
• Despite warnings about strong rip currents, Holt, a strong swimmer, entered the water and vanished without a trace.
• A massive search operation involving the Royal Australian Navy, Air Force, and Police found no body or clues.
• Conspiracy theories included Chinese espionage (Anthony Grey's book "The Prime Minister Was a Spy"), suicide, or CIA involvement.
• A 2005 inquest concluded it was an accidental drowning due to overconfidence in dangerous conditions, but the mystery persists.

Why It Matters: Harold Holt's disappearance remains one of history's most baffling political mysteries.