for almost 150 years, enthusiasts and researchers have been struggling to solve one of the main mysteries in the history of navigation - the disappearance of the entire crew of the ship "Maria Celesta" without a trace. The most incredible versions have been put forward, including UFOs, but there is not a single theory that would perfectly explain all the strangeness of this case. We will probably never know what happened in the last days of November 1872 on the ill-fated ship. But legends from this do not diminish.
An experienced captain on an unlucky ship
The history of the brigantine was full of gloomy circumstances long before the disappearance of the crew. The ship was laid down in 1860 in Nova Scotia (Canada). Then it was called "Amazon". The ship is quite large: about 30 meters long, almost 8 meters wide, and a displacement of 198 tons. The captain of the Amazon, Robert McLellan, who was one of the ship's co-owners, fell seriously ill during the first voyage and died soon after.
"Amazon" as seen by an unknown artist. Image: wikipedia.org
Then the ship managed to run into the reef. Some time later, collided with another ship. Then "Amazon" was caught in a storm, which again badly battered her. The owners of the ship felt that it was easier to get rid of the ship than to repair it. But the damaged vessel of ill fame did not stop other businessmen, and in the end, after changing several owners, the Amazon was registered in the United States under the name Maria Celeste. By 1872, the ship was seriously modernized: it became a little longer, a second deck appeared, and the displacement increased to 282 tons. In this form, the ship ended up under the command of Benjamin Briggs.
By the age of 37, Briggs was already considered an experienced captain. He was a very religious person and, according to the recollections of his colleagues, he did not drink alcohol, which was highly appreciated by the owners of the ship - after all, with a sober captain, the likelihood is higher that the cargo will be delivered without problems. November 7, 1872 "Maria Celeste" went on an ordinary campaign. It was required to deliver from New York to Genoa (Italy) about 1,700 barrels of ethyl alcohol. Eight crew members and two passengers boarded the ship: Briggs' wife Sarah and two-year-old daughter Sophia.
Captain Briggs and his family. Image: historycollection.co
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All things are left, but the boat is gone
Almost a month after departure, on December 4, the drifting "Maria Celeste" was found by the crew of the ship "Dei Grazia" under the command of David Morehouse. The ship was located 400 miles east of the Azores. There was no one on board. The Maria Celeste was in relatively good condition. Only water got into the hold, but the ship was not threatened. The sailors from the "Dei Grazia" saw a rather strange picture.
It was obvious that the ship was abandoned in a great hurry. All personal belongings were left, the crew did not even take their pipes with them. Only the logbook was found from the documents. Other clues include a broken compass and a clock with frozen hands.
But more important is what the sailors did not find on board the Maria Celeste - a lifeboat, a chronometer and a sextant (a navigational instrument). This meant that the crew took only the essentials for survival on the high seas and, probably, then planned to return to the ship.
It is known for certain that the crew was on board until November 25 inclusive - on that day, the last entry was left on the board of the wardroom. The logbook did not clarify the picture of events.
Pirates and Krakens
A logical assumption for those years - the ship was attacked by pirates. Moreover, the cargo is valuable, especially for filibusters: alcohol after all. But the barrels were practically untouched. When checked, only nine barrels were missing. It is assumed that the alcohol simply leaked out of them: some barrels were made not from white, but from red oak, which is considered more porous. Moreover, there were no signs of a struggle. Thus, the version with the attack of pirates was quickly swept aside. Experts began to think about what caused the crew to flee the ship.
The decision to evacuate is made only as a last resort - when there is a real threat to life. But what made the experienced captain take the most desperate step? According to the surviving information, the sea was relatively calm in those numbers. "Maria Celeste" was found practically intact, which means that the storm can also be swept away. In addition, during bad weather, it is safer to be on a large ship, and not in a flimsy boat.
At the same time, the assumption was expressed about the attack of a certain sea monster like a giant octopus. But it would have to be the size of a Pirates of the Caribbean Kraken in order to destroy the 30-meter ship. And, again, the ship turned out to be whole: several sailors from the Dei Grazia were able to bring the Maria Celeste to Gibraltar. This means that there were no critical problems.
One of the most realistic versions involves an explosion on board. It is believed that during the voyage, alcohol vapors reached a dangerous concentration and detonated - this did not even require a spark. The explosion did not cause much damage to the ship, but Briggs, fearing a chain reaction, decided to leave the "Maria Celeste". Then - perhaps due to the rising wind - the ship picked up speed, the boat tied to it broke off and the people could not catch up with the brigantine.
This explains why the sailors from the Dei Grazia saw the bow hatch knocked out - it could well have been blown up by an explosion. But the other hatches were just open. That is, the crew either ventilated the hold or began to do so after detonation. The sailors from the Dei Grazia did not smell alcohol, but by that time the hold had already been aired for a week and a half.
Another theory concerns a crew riot. Allegedly getting drunk (remember the missing nine barrels of alcohol), they decided to seize the ship, exiled the captain and his family on a boat, and then something went wrong. It is also possible that they killed the Briggs, threw the bodies overboard, and themselves disappeared in a boat. But why should they do this when they have a whole ship at their disposal? And the motives are not clear.
Monument to people who disappeared from "Maria Celeste". Image: lost-at-sea-memorials.com
Lost the course
After examining the logbook entries, investigators realized that on November 25, the Maria Celeste was about 6 miles from Santa Maria Island, which is part of the Azores. Modern researcher of the mystery of the ship Anna McGregor believes that Briggs, for some reason, decided to go ashore, reaching the island by boat.
But in fact, as another investigation showed, the ship was in a completely different place - 120 miles west of the island. Such a strong discrepancy was due to an inaccurate chronograph. Having tried to calculate his location, the captain decided to get to land and from there call for help from passing ships. However, he made a mistake in his calculations and left the ship when the nearest land was more than a hundred miles away.
Island of Santa Maria. Image: portugaltravelguide.com
Finally, you can't write off a fraudulent scheme to get insurance. The captain of the Day Grace had long been friends with Briggs. It is assumed that they may have entered into some kind of conspiracy. For the delivery of "Maria Celeste" to the port along with the cargo, the crew of the second ship was indeed paid a reward. Moreover, the investigators had the idea that the disappearance of the crew was staged. However, they later admitted that there was no evidence. Where, then, did the people from the ship disappear? For example, something happened after they were on the boat.
Delivered to the port of Gibraltar, the ship was in service until January 3, 1885. That day the Maria Celeste hit the reef. The incident was considered suspicious: allegedly Captain Gilman Parker destroyed the ship for insurance claims. The judges did not come to a unanimous verdict, but the case severely damaged the captain's reputation and health. He died three months after the trial.
In 2001, it was reported that a group of researchers managed to find fragments of "Mary Celeste". After conducting examinations, it turned out that the sample of the tree is younger than that used in the construction of the ship. The ship, like ten people, disappeared forever.
Author: Stanislav Ivaneiko
