Shocking truth behind photo of boy pictured falling from aeroplane in 'creepiest photo ever'

They say a picture can say a thousand words, but there's a lot more to this story than this haunting image might convey.

The tragic truth behind this snap of a young boy falling from an airplane - which has been dubbed the 'creepiest photo ever' - has managed to stun social media users.

Amateur photographer John Gilpin unknowingly captured the final moments of Keith Sapsford's life, while he was taking some shots at Sydney Airport.

He managed to take an extraordinary image of the 14-year-old lad tumbling out of the plane's wheel-well, but didn't even realise until a week later when he developed the film.

But how on earth did the teenager end up falling out of an airplane and plummeting to his death?

According to Keith's father, Charles Sapsford, the youngster was something of a wanderer who always had an 'urge to keep on the move'.

And his love for travel really went up a notch after his family headed on a overseas trip shortly before his death on 22 February, 1970.

John Gilpin captured the tragedy on camera (John Gilpin)

After returning to their home in Randwick, New South Wales, Keith found himself craving more adventure.

"All my son wanted to do was to see the world," Charles told the Associated Press. "All my son wanted to do was to see the world. He had itchy feet.

"His determination to see how the rest of the world lives has cost him his life."

In a bid to 'straighten him out', Charles - a university lecturer of mechanical and industrial engineering - sent his child off to a Roman Catholic Institution in Sydney.

However, Keith wasn't too keen on the place and he ran away a number of times.

Two weeks after he had arrived there, he fled the premises once again and made his way to Sydney Airport, where he managed to sneak onto the runway.

Somehow, he climbed into the wheel-well of a Japan Airlines jet, which was bound for Tokyo and spent a couple of hours waiting in the compartment before take off.

It is believed that Keith, who was wearing only shorts and a short-sleeved t-shirt, didn't realise that the latch of the wheel-well would open to tuck the wheel back inside when the plane became airborne.

Keith Sapsford was in search of adventure, according to his father (Getty Stock Photo)

Charles said that he had talked about the dangers of hiding in the undercarriage of an aircraft with his son just months before horror struck.

The dad said he and Keith had discussed the death of a Spanish boy who died after doing so, recalling how he warned him there was multiple ways this could prove fatal.

Charles explained that if the person wasn't crushed to death by the retraction of the wheels, they could die from the lack of oxygen, or freeze to death due to the freezing temperatures at high altitudes.

Investigators later found hand prints and threads from Keith's clothing in the wheel-well, confirming where he had spent his final moments.

The chilling tale and the accompanying image has stunned social media users, who shared their thoughts on X.

One person said: "Sad end to Keith's adventure. That's why I'm in favour of befriending with your children. Try to understand them, their choices, their will..Because its their life after all.."

Another wrote: "Tragedy that could be prevented."

A third commented: "The photographer took the rarest spontaneous shot of all time."

And a fourth added: "So they’re right when they say, curiosity killed the cat. Too bad to know about the loss of a precious life though."