Скачать или смотреть The Vanishing of Ben Smart and Olivia Hope | New Zealand’s Most Mysterious Case

On New Year’s Eve 1997, more than 1,500 people gathered at Furneaux Lodge in New Zealand’s Marlborough Sounds. Among them were two friends – 21-year-old Ben Smart and 17-year-old Olivia Hope. After a night of celebrations, they vanished without a trace. Their disappearance became one of the most mysterious and controversial cases in New Zealand’s history.

Despite no bodies ever being found, Scott Watson was convicted of their murders in 1999. To this day, questions remain about whether justice was truly served or if a wrongful conviction took place. Conflicting witness statements, disputed forensic evidence, and ongoing appeals have kept the case in the public eye for over two decades.

This video revisits the disappearance of Ben Smart and Olivia Hope, exploring the investigation, the trial of Scott Watson, and the lingering doubts that continue to divide opinion. Was this a fair trial, or has the truth been lost in the shadows of the Marlborough Sounds?

Chapters:
00:00 – Intro: A New Year’s Eve Party
01:45 – Ben Smart & Olivia Hope Disappear
04:10 – The Last Sighting on the Water Taxi
06:35 – Operation Tam: An Investigation Begins
09:05 – Identifying the Mystery Man
11:40 – Focus on Scott Watson
14:20 – The “Blink Photo” Controversy
16:10 – A Trial Without Evidence?
18:50 – Life Sentence & Failed Appeals
20:40 – New Leads, Rumors, and Doubts
22:00 – Final Thoughts & Outro

📚 Sources

New Zealand Herald – coverage on the disappearance of Ben Smart & Olivia Hope

Stuff.co.nz – reporting on the Scott Watson trial and appeals

NZ Police: Official statements and reports related to Operation Tam

Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) – 2010 report on the photo identification process

TVNZ and RNZ documentaries on the case

Court of Appeal of New Zealand – case files and decisions

Privy Council records – petitions submitted on behalf of Scott Watson

Interviews with the families of Ben Smart and Olivia Hope (archival media sources)