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History and archaeology enthusiasts, treasure hunters, and divers all love a good shipwreck! Indeed, we have been using vessels for millennia; they have been instrumental for our survival and our fun, from battles to travel. It's safe to say that our oceans are full of shipwrecks. Some have been found, and some have been explored, but many remain untouched.
One such shipwreck, the USS Stewart, has long been shrouded in mystery. Known as the “Ghost Ship of the Pacific,” its exact location remained elusive for over 75 years. However, recent sonar scans have finally revealed the remains of this historic vessel. Found off the coast of California, the ship is largely intact, despite being damaged in combat against Japanese forces in 1942.
Curious about the sunken treasures of the deep? Dive into this gallery to explore the most mysterious shipwrecks in history.
The USS Stewart, a US Navy destroyer commissioned in 1920, had a tumultuous history. It was damaged in combat during World War II, captured by the Japanese, and later rediscovered in Japan after the war. The ship was then used as a target and sunk during a naval exercise. In recent years, historians and archaeologists have been interested in the Stewart's story, and its wreck was finally discovered in 2024 after a 78-year search.
American merchant brigantine Mary Celeste was found adrift around 400 miles (643 km) east of the Azores on December 5, 1872. The lifeboat was missing, but all cargo had been left behind.
Various theories arose as to what happened, but it was not until 2002 that a potentially valid theory gained shape. Only one pump was working, so during a storm and with a sight of land, the crew probably decided that they had a chance of survival. But did they?
We must admit, HMS Terror is a pretty scary name for a warship. Though the ship disappeared after it retired from its war duties. It was during an Arctic expedition in 1845.
The story goes that the ship became trapped in ice and the crew eventually resorted to cannibalism to survive. HMS Terror was actually identified by divers in 2016. An exploration of the wreckage was planned for 2020, but it was canceled due to the pandemic.
The daughter of former US vice president Aaron Burr, Theodosia Burr Alston, was on board Patriot. She was actually en route to visit her father, when she disappeared at sea in 1812.
There are many theories about the vanishing of Patriot, including a pirate attack. To this day, no one really knows what happened.
Lake freighter SS Cyprus sank on Lake Superior during a storm on October 11, 1907. It's believed that a gale caused the ship to roll over, but why it sank is still a mystery.
The wreckage of SS Cyprus was found in August 2007, about 10 miles (16 km) from where it supposedly sunk. The Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society plans to return to the wreck site in the future.
In October 1931, the SS Baychimo became trapped in the ice during a storm near Barrow, Alaska. The crew abandoned the ship and took shelter in the nearby town. Some crew members stayed in the area, waiting for winter to pass so they could recover the ship.
But then one day, after a powerful blizzard, there was no sign of the Baychimo. After this, it was reportedly sighted multiple times in Alaska. The Baychimo is one of the world's most famous ghost ships.
Le Griffon was a French sailing vessel that supposedly sank during a storm in Lake Michigan. Over the years, around 30 explorers have claimed to have found the shipwreck, but no one has been able to prove it thus far.
In 1921, the Carroll A. Deering was found adrift off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. All its crew had disappeared.
Some theories point to it being a victim of the Bermuda Triangle, others say that it was pirates, hurricanes, and, of course, paranormal activity. To this day, no one knows what happened.
The Antikythera shipwreck was discovered in the Mediterranean in 1901. It is more than 2,000 years old, and contained the "Antikythera mechanism," dubbed as the "World's first computer," which was essentially a sophisticated calendar.
But what vessel was this and who made up the crew? In 2016, human bones were found in the wreckage, but no other information is known. It's possible that it was a grain-carrying ship, but little else is theorized.
The Navy ship USS Cyclops disappeared in March 1918 with a crew of 309 people aboard. It is said to have vanished in the Bermuda Triangle, and its wreck was never found.
This famous Royal Navy ship sunk in the English Channel in September 1744, while returning from a victorious mission against the French in Lisbon and Gibraltar.
A lighthouse keeper was accused of causing the ship to sink by failing to keep the lights on. It was not until 2008 that the wreckage was found, about 60 miles (96 km) west of Alderney, so maybe the keeper had nothing to do with it. If not, how did it sink, after all?
The Spanish galleon was sunk in 1804 by the British, during a battle off the Portuguese Algarve coast.
A treasure hunting team discovered that it was full of Peruvian gold, though they never confirmed the shipwreck was Mercedes. This was disputed between Spain and Peru, and in 2012 the case was settled: the treasures are at Spanish museums.
The Italian ocean liner sank in 1956 off the coast of Massachusetts. It collided with another ship due to poor visibility caused by fog.
It is believed that personal valuables are still held in the wreck, which has made it a target for divers and treasure hunters. It's believed that at least 16 people have lost their lives exploring the wreck.
The RMS Lusitania sank in May 1915 off the coast of County Cork, Ireland. It was torpedoed by a German U-boat, killing 1,197 people. The Lusitania was supposed to be carrying civilians from nations not involved in World War I.
The attacked helped turn the US against Germany, but years later a key fact was discovered. The ship was also carrying munitions: something that was not confirmed by the British government until 2004.
The steamship SS Waratah vanished in 1909 en route from Durban to Cape Town, South Africa. There were 211 passengers and crew on board.
Theories range from a rogue wave, to a whirlpool, and even an explosion. Searches were conducted up until 2004, with no results.
This Spanish galleon went down off the coast of Cartagena, Colombia, during a battle with the English in 1708. The San José was loaded with treasures, including gold and silver. The Colombian government found San José in 2015, but kept its location a secret.
The Mary Rose was a warship of King Henry VIII of England that went down in battle in July 1545. The wreck was found in 1971, and then raised in 1982. Despite the war context, the reason why the Mary Rose sunk is still up for debate.
Sources: (Grunge) (Live Science) (CNN)
Exploring the "Ghost Ship of the Pacific" and historic shipwrecks
From ghost ships to treasures
LIFESTYLE Unsolved
History and archaeology enthusiasts, treasure hunters, and divers all love a good shipwreck! Indeed, we have been using vessels for millennia; they have been instrumental for our survival and our fun, from battles to travel. It's safe to say that our oceans are full of shipwrecks. Some have been found, and some have been explored, but many remain untouched.
One such shipwreck, the USS Stewart, has long been shrouded in mystery. Known as the “Ghost Ship of the Pacific,” its exact location remained elusive for over 75 years. However, recent sonar scans have finally revealed the remains of this historic vessel. Found off the coast of California, the ship is largely intact, despite being damaged in combat against Japanese forces in 1942.
Curious about the sunken treasures of the deep? Dive into this gallery to explore the most mysterious shipwrecks in history.