Eerie moment sailors find ‘ghost ship’ with no soul on board

A sailor who stumbled across a “ghost ship” near Bermuda with no one on board described the discovery as “absolutely crazy”.

This is the eerie moment sailors stumble across a ‘ghost ship’ drifting 804km from Bermuda with no one on board.

Two yachties from Ocean Research Project came across the abandoned boat in the Atlantic Ocean, The Sun reports.

The researchers noticed the boats sail wasn’t up, the motor wasn’t running and “there was no sign of anyone”.

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The boat was found drifting 800 miles from Bermuda. Picture: YouTube/Sailing Zatara

Worried that someone might be hurt, the pair decided to climb aboard and check it out.

Matt Rutherford, founder of Ocean Research Project and the first man to ever sail non-stop on his own around North and South America, filmed himself as he went in for a closer look.

“This is one awfully abandoned sailboat. Wolfhound from the Irish yacht club,” he said.

“I have no idea what’s inside, I’m going to go and search around and I hope I don’t find any dead bodies or anything.”

Matt Rutherford looked around but couldn’t find anyone on-board. Picture: YouTube/Sailing Zatara

As he ventured inside the boat, Mr Rutherford said he was afraid to open doors and cabinets.

After having a look around, he said, “No dead bodies, thank God.

“This is absolutely crazy by the way — 800 miles from Bermuda, 1500 miles from the US, standing on a very nice Swan 48, in the middle of the ocean.”

The pair began dragging the boat behind their own, making it about 80 kilometres on the second day.

The experienced sailor was worried someone might be injured. Picture: YouTube/Sailing Zatara

Mr Rutherford said, “It’s kinda funny, 48-foot boat with a 42-foot boat. We’re doing our best trying to get her to Bermuda.”

After spending 47 days at sea, the pair began running low on fuel so convinced a passing freighter to stop and give them some gas.

They continued to pull Wolfhound but eventually had to cut the tow line after it got wrapped around the rudder, and threatened to break it off.

Mr Rutherford’s boat towed the rogue yacht behind it. Picture: YouTube/Sailing Zatara

The researchers needed some fuel from a passing freight ship. Picture: YouTube/Sailing Zatara

According to online sleuths, the boat belonged to skipper Alan McGettigan from the Royal Irish Yacht Club.

He and crewmates Declan Hayes, Morgan Crowe and Tom Mulligan were rescued by a Greek cargo ship 102 kilometres north of Bermuda when their 48-foot yacht suffered two knockdowns in 20-foot waves and 50-knot winds.

Mr McGettigan activated an emergency beacon and they left Wolfhound in the water.

Nine weeks later, it was stumbled upon by Matt and his team who filmed the recovery and posted the footage to social media this week.

This article originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced with permission