Mary Celeste, an American brigantine, was discovered abandoned on December 5, 1872, about 400 nautical miles (740 kilometers) east of the Azores, Portugal. The mystery surrounding the disappearance of the 10 people aboard the vessel has remained unsolved to this day.
The ship was originally constructed in 1861 at Spencer’s Island, Nova Scotia, Canada, and named the Amazon. After its launch on May 18, 1861, it encountered a series of misfortunes. The ship’s captain died of pneumonia during its maiden voyage, and it suffered several damages, the most significant occurring in October 1867 when it ran aground at Cow Bay, Cape Breton Island. In the following year, the Amazon was sold to American Richard W. Haines, who later renamed the ship the Mary Celeste. Over time, the ship underwent substantial modifications, and it eventually came under the ownership of a group that included Captain Benjamin Spooner Briggs.
The fateful voyage began on November 7, 1872, when the Mary Celeste set sail from New York City, carrying more than 1,700 barrels of alcohol bound for Genoa, Italy. Onboard were 10 people, including Captain Briggs, his wife, and their two-year-old daughter. The ship encountered challenging weather conditions over the following weeks. The last log entry, recorded on November 25, indicated the Mary Celeste was located about 6 nautical miles (11 kilometers) from the Azores. Ten days later, the British brig Dei Gratia spotted the abandoned vessel. Upon boarding, the Dei Gratia crew found the ship deserted. Despite having over 3 feet (1 meter) of water in the hold—a level that should not have caused panic—the ship was still seaworthy. Remarkably, the cargo and personal belongings of the crew were largely untouched, although the longboat was missing, suggesting a hasty abandonment. The crew of the Dei Gratia sailed the Mary Celeste to Gibraltar, located 800 miles (1,482 kilometers) away, where British authorities conducted an investigation. The inquiry yielded no signs of foul play.
The mystery of the Mary Celeste first gained widespread attention in 1884 when Arthur Conan Doyle published a short story titled “J. Habakuk Jephson’s Statement.” This fictional account portrayed a survivor of the ghost ship “Marie Celeste,” who described an ominous tale of revenge by a former enslaved person. While Doyle’s story was purely fictional, it spurred a variety of theories regarding the fate of the Mary Celeste. Some speculated that the ship’s crew had mutinied, been murdered, or fallen victim to piracy. However, these theories were contradicted by the absence of any signs of violence or missing cargo. Likewise, claims that an explosion caused by alcohol vapors had led to the ship’s abandonment were also unsubstantiated.
A more plausible explanation is that Captain Briggs mistakenly believed the ship was taking on more water than it actually was and was on the brink of sinking. Evidence to support this theory includes the discovery of the ship’s sounding rod on the deck, suggesting it had been used just prior to the abandonment. Additionally, one of the ship’s pumps was found disassembled, indicating that it had malfunctioned. It’s possible that Captain Briggs misinterpreted the situation, causing him to order the crew to abandon ship. A mishap could have occurred during the use of the longboat, potentially leading to the deaths of the crew and passengers.
Despite its unfortunate reputation, the Mary Celeste continued to operate for several years, changing owners multiple times. It was eventually acquired by Captain G.C. Parker in 1885, who intentionally ran the ship aground on a reef near Haiti in an attempt to commit insurance fraud. However, the ship failed to sink, and authorities uncovered his scheme. The Mary Celeste was left on the reef, where it deteriorated and was rendered beyond repair.
The mystery of the Mary Celeste has captured the imagination of many and inspired a variety of stories and books. It has also been the subject of films, including The Mystery of the Mary Celeste (1935), also known as Phantom Ship, starring Bela Lugosi, and Haunting of the Mary Celeste (2000). The 2007 TV documentary The True Story of the Mary Celeste further explored the enigmatic case.