Tales of a ghost ship that mostly existed on paper

For decades, the tale of the SS Ourang Medan has haunted the margins of maritime lore

For decades, the tale of the SS Ourang Medan has haunted the margins of maritime lore: a ghost ship found drifting in the South Pacific, its crew frozen in terror, eyes wide, mouths agape, hands clawing at nothing, followed by a mysterious explosion that neatly erased all physical evidence. It inspired video games, novels, creepypasta, and the comforting idea that the ocean still holds secrets too strange to explain. This exasperated video by the Mystorian debunks it:

The story of the Ourang Medan reads like a radio drama written by the sea itself, which is appropriate for the timeperiod from which it sprang. Distress signals are sent in clipped, ominous fragments. The shipboard scene is reminiscent of the cult classic movie based on the board game Clue. A final convenient explosion tidies up the loose ends. The Mystorian methodically and emphatically sets the legend next to basic reality. Shipping registries do not agree. Dates are fungible. Locations drift. The ship’s name doesn’t exist where it should. The chemicals blamed for the crew’s deaths don’t behave the way the story requires.