The Curse of Oak Island Deaths: Are Producers Hiding Something?
After 12 seasons, 25 episodes this year alone, and countless "shocking" discoveries that go nowhere — fans are starting to ask the obvious question: if Oak Island is really cursed, who's next?
And more importantly, is the "curse" just another made-for-TV invention to keep the audience tuned in?
Did Season 12 Finally End the Mystery? Not Quite.
The latest season of The Curse of Oak Island officially wrapped up on May 20, 2025. And like every year, it ended with more questions, a lot of dirt moved, and still no treasure.
- Season Finale: May 20, 2025
- Total Episodes: 25
- Average Viewership: Over 1 million per episode across platforms
- Renewal Status: No official word yet, but considering the History Channel has greenlit this show 12 times before — Season 13 is highly likely.
But forget the treasure for a second — fans are more fixated on the so-called "curse" and the deaths it supposedly demands.
The 7 Deaths Curse: Fact or TV Fiction?
The show opens every single episode with a grim reminder:
"6 men have died looking for the treasure, and according to legend, 1 more will have to die before the treasure can be found."
Sounds ominous. But here's the kicker: no one seems to know where that "legend" actually came from. Fans who've followed the Oak Island mystery long before the Lagina brothers arrived will tell you the same thing — this curse wasn't part of the lore until the show made it one.
Where Did the 7 Deaths Curse Originate?
- First Popular Reference: 1967 TRUE magazine article titled "Tragedy Stalks a Tantalizing Treasure" after the tragic deaths of the Restall family.
- Referenced in Pop Culture: In Search Of… (1979), hosted by Leonard Nimoy, made a passing mention of a curse.
- Actual Historical Evidence: None.
Fans on Reddit claim even the islanders themselves barely mention it — except when Matty Blake asked in an early spinoff episode and got laughed off.
Who Died on Oak Island?
The show frequently references six confirmed deaths associated with Oak Island excavations, mainly stemming from:
- The 1800s Accidents: Various undocumented fatalities from early digging attempts.
- The 1861 Accident: A pumping engine boiler explosion killed one.
- The Restall Tragedy (1965): Four men, including treasure hunter Robert Restall, died after exposure to poisonous gas.
- Other Incidents: Scattered individual accidents.
That adds up to six — but what about Craig Tester's son, Drake, who tragically passed away in 2017? He had spent time on the island, but his death wasn't on-site nor related to an excavation mishap. Still, some fans argue that should count. If it does, by the show's own intro logic, the treasure should've been unearthed by now.
Are Producers Hiding Something?
Let's be blunt: the so-called curse is great for ratings. Every time viewership dips or the digging gets dull, the narration ominously reminds us about the 7 deaths. But if it's all manufactured for TV — what else are producers not telling us?
- There's No Verified Source for the Curse.
- No historical documents or early treasure maps mention it.
- Even long-time Oak Island enthusiasts hadn't heard of it before the show aired.
Yet, keeping the myth alive helps distract from the fact that after 200+ episodes, the biggest treasure haul has been... centuries-old wood fragments.
What Happens Now?
- Season 13 Probability: Very high. The ratings remain strong and the show is still a cash cow for the History Channel.
- Bone-Dry Theories: Until someone actually finds something — or dies trying — the "curse" will keep padding the runtime.
Fans like to joke that the real curse is being stuck watching this for 12 seasons with no payoff. As one Redditor quipped:
"They're probably referring to an audience member dying out of boredom."
Bottom Line: Is the Curse Real?
No. The "7 deaths curse" is as real as the narrator's serious tone. It was likely born in sensational magazine articles post-Restall tragedy, inflated by documentaries, and finally canonized by the History Channel for dramatic effect. The producers aren't hiding bodies — they're hiding the fact that the treasure was probably never there to begin with.
TLDR Recap
- The "7 deaths curse" is TV marketing, not folklore.
- Six men have verifiably died, most in the 1965 Restall incident.
- No official documentation predates the 1960s mentioning a curse.
- The show milks the curse angle because... well, they haven't found anything else.
If season 13 gets confirmed, expect more ominous voiceovers, more drilling, and a couple of rusted nails pulled out of the mud — and yes, the curse will still be "one death away."