The myths and mysteries of ghost ships
Do ghosts exist or they don’t? This is a debate that refuses to die down. Nevertheless, ghost, as a subject, is extremely entertaining. It serves as a central theme for movies and fictions alike. Generally, we hear about ghosts of human beings. But there are mentions of ghostly things and places too in films, literature, folklores and mythologies. You must have heard of ghost towns. We are talking about the abandoned ones where people no longer live, usually due to failing economy or a natural disaster, but substantial visible remains can still be seen. Similarly, some of you may have heard of ghost ships too! Never heard of them? Well, worry not, we are here to shed light on them.
What are ghost ships?
As you may have already guessed, ghost ships are similar to ghost towns. They simply refer to abandoned or possibly adrift ships that are often believed to be haunted. Intriguing, isn’t it? They are often found ashore without any crew or passengers. Like regular ships, they set sail with people on them. However, they disappear thereafter, only to emerge months or years later as completely deserted. Now here’s a logical question, how come a ship with no crew come ashore? Why doesn’t it remain sinking? Well, at times experts too can’t explain this. But in many cases, it’s due to some geographical activity, such as a tsunami or melting of a glacier. For instance, SS Baychimo, a former steamer that had set sail along the Arctic was abandoned in 1931 when it was caught in ice. However, years later, it broke free on its own and was regularly seen floating in and around the Gulf of Alaska during the late 1930s. Unfortunately, it was last sighted in 1969.
World’s most famous ghost ships
Throughout history, there have been multiple sightings of ghost ships, long after they go missing, and some of them still remain mysteries left to be solved. Here are two of our favourites.
The Mary Celeste: One of the most famous ghost ships is the Mary Celeste which has a unique story. On 7th November, 1872, a captain, his wife and his two-year-old and seven men crew had set sail from New York to Italy. But when they didn’t arrive even after a month, the world went searching for the ship. Almost two months later, a British vessel named Dei Gratia caught sight of it drifting in the Atlantic, that too completely empty. Although the ship’s floor was covered in 3-feet water, it was far from flooded or beyond repair. In fact, 6 months worth of ration as well as the crew’s belongings were still onboard. Experts believe that all the people abandoned the ship at the first sight of land as they thought the damage incurred was severe. Maybe, that’s why no lifeboats were ever found on it.
The Sam Rataulangi: This ghost ship mystery is a pretty recent one, which can be traced back to August 2018. A Burmese freighter named Sam Rautaulangi PB 1600 was found off the coast of Myanmar by fishermen. Incidentally, the ship had set sail earlier that year with approximately 20 people and cargo. However, when it was discovered, it was fully empty. Research suggests that the ship was hit by bad weather on its way to a ship-breaking plant and was rescued by a tugboat. But no one knows for sure what had really happened.