The Ghost Ship Of Bermuda

In the quiet waters of the Atlantic Ocean on September 2nd, 2019, the HMS Protector, a British Royal Navy's Ice Patrol ship, sailed under the cover of an orange twilight sky at 11 pm. Some of the ship's crew members were on deck, while others rested in their cabins. The ship's captain stood at the helm, gazing out at the horizon, admiring the serene beauty of the sea and the distant clouds.

Amidst this picturesque backdrop, an alert sailor spotted an enigmatic black silhouette in the distance—an unknown ship. The captain, intrigued, slowed the Protector and brought it closer to the mysterious vessel. It was an old cargo ship, stretching 250 feet in length, but all attempts to establish contact with its crew proved futile. It appeared that this vessel was adrift, devoid of any living souls.

The creaking of the ship's deck in the gentle ocean waves added an eerie atmosphere as the sun sank beneath the horizon, plunging the scene into darkness. British sailors, wary of the strange vessel, hesitated to board it. Instead, they snapped a photograph and posted it on the internet before sailing away. Many on the web speculated that the sailors had encountered a genuine ghost ship.

Fast forward five months, and we find ourselves in the village of Ballycotton in County Cork, Ireland. One fine morning, a local resident embarked on his daily run, with music playing through his headphones, savoring the fresh, cool air along a scenic coastal route. As he jogged atop a low cliff overlooking the Celtic Sea, his eyes were drawn to an astonishing sight: a colossal, rusty cargo ship, 250 feet in length, grounded among the rocks on the beach. There was no one aboard; it seemed as though the ship had been stranded here for ages.

The local was certain that this vessel had not been there the previous day. Astonishingly, it turned out to be the same ship that the crew of the HMS Protector had spotted five months earlier, thousands of miles away. This ship, known as the Alta, was constructed in 1976, and its history was shrouded in mystery. It changed ownership in 2017, adopting the flag of Tanzania. Notably, most cargo ships are equipped with Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) to track their movements in the ocean. Yet, since 2015, the Alta's AIS had exhibited unusual behavior. It had vanished from satellite tracking systems, only to reappear sporadically.

In 2017, the ship was observed near Greek port cities, making 12 stops at three different Greek locations. Then, the AIS signal disappeared, only to resurface ten months later off the northern coast of Africa, 1,200 miles from Greece. In September 2018, while sailing approximately 1,400 miles southeast of Bermuda, the Alta encountered engine trouble in the middle of the vast Atlantic Ocean. The nearest shore was a considerable distance away, leaving the ship adrift.

As days passed, the crew's situation deteriorated. With no means to repair the vessel, food supplies dwindled, and panic set in. A formidable hurricane was approaching, exacerbating their predicament. Desperate, they contacted the U.S. Coast Guard on October 2nd, and a helicopter was dispatched with essential supplies. This allowed the crew to survive for several more days. Approximately a week later, a rescue boat arrived, navigating 1,500 miles to reach the Alta. Just before the impending hurricane struck, American rescuers successfully evacuated the entire crew.

However, the Alta's troubles were far from over. After the rescue, another ship arrived to tow it to the coast of Guyana, but something went amiss. The vessel was hijacked, but the identity and motives of the perpetrators remain a mystery. Eventually, they inexplicably abandoned the ship, leaving it to drift aimlessly in the ocean.

For nearly a year, the Alta's whereabouts remained untraceable until September 2019 when it was discovered by the British Royal Navy. The perplexing question remains: How did the Alta traverse the Atlantic to wash up on the shores of Ireland? An investigation was launched in Ireland to identify the vessel's owner and find a responsible party to tow it away. Regrettably, no one has come forward.

Several barrels of oil were found aboard the Alta, and the dismantling of the ship poses an estimated cost of about 10 million euros. Local residents are growing increasingly frustrated with the corroding vessel, as it poses environmental risks. Moreover, curious children have already ventured onto the ship, posting videos from inside the abandoned vessel.

The fate of the Alta remains uncertain, as it continues to lie stranded. This ship sailed for a mere two years before its strange odyssey. However, imagine if it were like another notorious vessel, the SS Baychimo, which drifted for an astounding 38 years. Yet, despite relentless efforts, no one could apprehend the elusive Baychimo.

The Baychimo, a merchant ship owned by a Canadian trading company, found itself trapped in ice off the Alaskan coast in 1931 during a fierce snowstorm. The crew waited for a week, but the storm intensified, rendering the ship's captain unable to see beyond arm's reach. When the storm finally abated, the ship had vanished, and the captain assumed it had sunk. Yet, a week later, the Baychimo was found drifting near its last known location. Its hull was severely damaged, making it unsafe to sail. The crew abandoned the ship, believing it would sink.

However, the Baychimo defied all expectations, drifting for 38 years along the Alaskan coast. During this time, it became an attraction for Native Alaskan residents and a subject of interest for researchers. Several attempts to salvage the vessel were thwarted by drifting ice and inclement weather. The last sighting of the Baychimo was in 1969 when it was frozen and encased in ice.

In 2006, a government project was initiated to locate the Baychimo, but it remains undiscovered. Its fate remains an enigma, with the possibility that it has finally found its resting place on the seabed of the Chukchi Sea.

The story of the Alta and the elusive Baychimo prompt us to ponder the mysteries of the high seas. While the Alta's journey was relatively short-lived, it serves as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of the ocean, where ships can vanish into obscurity.