Lost at Sea

Ships Lost at Sea

By: Liliana Ortiz

Over the years, there have been some ships that have disappeared without a trace. So where were these ships headed and where and when did they disappear?

Incidents of ships lost at sea date back centuries, with one of them being La Santa Maria. The vessel, belonging to the explorer Christopher Columbus, had disappeared in 1492 near Christmas. The ship had hit the reefs off the Haitian coast months after departing from Spain. La Santa Maria was one of the three ships that Christopher Columbus was given by the Queen Isabella I and King Ferdinand III to accompany him on his expedition to the New World.

One ship that had vanished during colonial times was called the Griffin. Although the specific dates remain unknown, the ship had disappeared in the year 1679. The ship had been carrying Anne Hutchinson to the Massachusetts colony. Some claimed to have found the ship, thought they lack evidence to support these claims with the location of the ship still remaining a mystery.

Another ship that disappeared without a trace was the Patriot. Lost in 1813, the vessel was carrying the daughter of Aaron Burr, Theodosia Burr Alston, who was only 29 years old at the time. It was later found out that the British fleet had stopped this ship off Hatteras on January 2. Rumors claimed that ship was, captured by pirates but Aaron Burr refused to believe it. Unfortunately, all the passengers and crew members aboard the ship were never seen or heard from again.

While these occurrences are horrifying, they are only a portion of all the ships that have disappeared. Other ships include the USS Indianapolis, the HMS Endeavour, Shackleton's Endurance, and many more. But there is hope for finding the location of future disappearing thanks to advancements in technology. Maybe one day, news about disappearing ships will be a thing of the past.