In November 1781, a British cargo ship named Zong was carrying enslaved people from Ghana to the Caribbean. The ship was close to Jamaica when the crew made a mistake and headed in the wrong direction.
It was only after sailing several miles in the wrong direction that they realized their mistake. Jamaica was still 10 to 13 days away whereas they had only four days’ water remaining on the ship.
All the enslaved people on board were insured, but there would be no insurance payout if they ᶁİ́eᶁ from natural causes such as dehydration and starvation.
The crew determined that the only way they would receive an insurance payout was to make a claim under the “general average” principle. This principle allows a captain who discards a portion of the cargo to save the rest to seek compensation for the resulting loss from their insurers.
Approximately 131 enslaved Africans including women and children were heartlessly thrown into the sea before the ship arrived Jamaica On 22 December 1781