Approximately 90 men were on Columbus’s first voyage. The crew sailed from Spain in 1492 aboard three ships: the Santa María, the Pinta, and the Niña.
The exact total varies slightly among historical accounts because surviving records do not provide a complete, universally agreed crew list. Many standard references therefore give an estimate of about 90 men, making that the conventional quiz answer. The sailors included experienced mariners, pilots, shipmasters, and other specialists needed to operate the vessels.
The Santa María was the largest ship and served as Columbus’s flagship. The smaller Pinta and Niña were caravels, better suited to speed and maneuverability. Martín Alonso Pinzón commanded the Pinta, while Vicente Yáñez Pinzón commanded the Niña.
After the Santa María wrecked on Hispaniola on December 25, 1492, Columbus could not take everyone home. He left 39 men behind at La Navidad, the first Spanish settlement in the Americas, while returning with the two surviving ships.