10 Mysterious Ghost Ships That No One Can Explain
Ships found drifting without a crew have fascinated sailors and investigators for centuries. These vessels often turn up in working condition, sometimes with food still on tables or engines still running. Yet, there’s no one on board. Many of these cases were thoroughly investigated, but solid answers were never found.
Each one raises more questions than answers. What happened to the crew? Why was the ship abandoned? And why do some seem to vanish before help arrives?
Mary Celeste
Credit: Wikimedia Commons
The Mary Celeste had all cargo intact and provisions for six months. The lifeboat was missing, but there was no sign of a struggle. The crew, including the captain’s wife and daughter, had disappeared. The cause remains unknown, although theories include misjudged flooding or exposure to alcohol fumes.
Carroll A. Deering
Credit: Wikimedia Commons
The schooner was found wrecked off the coast of North Carolina in 1921. Meals were prepared onboard, but the crew and lifeboats were gone. A lighthouse keeper reported seeing unfamiliar crew behavior days before. The FBI investigated possible piracy or labor unrest, but no clear answer was found.
Jian Seng
Credit: Facebook
This rusted freighter was discovered adrift in the Gulf of Carpentaria in 2006. The vessel was unregistered, lacked proper identifying documentation, and was carrying rice and diesel drums. No crew or distress signals were linked to it. Authorities believe it may have been a supply ship, but its origin is still unknown.
High Aim No. 6
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This Taiwanese fishing boat was spotted off the coast of Australia in 2003 with its engine running and a full load of tuna. The crew was missing, yet no distress calls had been sent. One crew member later confessed to being involved in a killing, but the motive and the fate of the others remain unclear.
Nina
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The American schooner vanished in 2013 en route to Australia. The last known message was sent via satellite and was delayed by weeks. It mentioned severe weather and damaged sails. Satellite scans revealed faint imagery that possibly showed the boat, but search teams found nothing. It was as if the ocean swallowed it whole.
MV Joyita
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In 1955, this merchant vessel was found partially submerged near Fiji. All 25 people on board were missing, but the ship stayed afloat thanks to its cork-lined hull. The clocks had stopped at the same time, and the radio was tuned to the distress channel. Investigators couldn’t explain why no one stayed.
Kaz II
Credit: Youtube
This catamaran was found drifting near the Great Barrier Reef in 2007, sails up and dinner half-prepared. The three men aboard had vanished. One theory suggests that someone fell overboard, and the others followed in rescue attempts, but no conclusive evidence has ever surfaced.
The Mummified Sailor
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In 2016, fishermen found the body of German sailor Manfred Fritz Bajorat aboard his drifting yacht near the Philippines. An autopsy determined he had died roughly a week prior. Mummification occurred due to dry, salty conditions. There were no signs of trauma or foul play. His death remains a solitary mystery.
Sam Rataulangi PB 1600
Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Fishermen discovered the freighter abandoned off Myanmar’s coast in 2018. Authorities later confirmed it had been under tow to a scrapyard when the towline broke during bad weather. The crew left the vessel behind when it became unsafe to retrieve.
Jenny
Credit: Getty Images
The story of the schooner Jenny has circulated since the 19th century. It was supposedly found frozen in Antarctic ice in 1840, with log entries dating back to 1823. The crew, including the captain, was allegedly preserved in place. No official records support the story, but it keeps resurfacing in nautical folklore.