The Zong was an English slave ship that was part of the transatlantic slave trade during the late 18th century. In November of 1781, while en route from Africa to Jamaica, the crew found themselves in a dire situation with dwindling supplies of food and water. Faced with a growing number of sick enslaved Africans on board, and fearing financial loss from the deteriorating condition of these captives, the ship's captain, Luke Collingwood, along with his crew, made the horrific decision to jettison prisoners into the sea. This resulted in the death of at least 54 Africans. The crew subsequently sought to claim insurance for the loss of these individuals, asserting they had drowned due to hazardous conditions at sea. This claim sparked a legal battle that cast a glaring spotlight on the morality of the slave trade and the treatment of enslaved people. The trial that followed brought about intense public scrutiny and outrage, particularly from abolitionist figures such as Granville Sharp and Olaudah Equiano, who campaigned against the inhumanity exhibited by slave traders like those aboard Zong.