Ghost ship is washed up on Irish coast by Storm Dennis after drifting for thousands of miles


Ghost ship is washed up on Irish coast by Storm Dennis after drifting for thousands of miles in the Atlantic without a soul on board

  • Tanzanian-flagged Alta washed up at Ballycotton, County Cork, on Sunday
  • It is believed to have drifted from West Africa and then past the west of Spain  
  • Its crew of ten were saved 1,300 miles southeast of Bermuda in October 2018 
  • It was last spotted by the Royal Navy in September who went to check on it 

A ghost ship which has floated for thousands of miles without a soul on board was washed up by Storm Dennis on the coast of Ireland yesterday.

The Alta, a Tanzanian-flagged cargo vessel, has been adrift since the US Coast Guard rescued its crew of ten men 1,300 miles southeast of Bermuda in October 2018.

Most recently it is believed to have made its way from the west of Africa, north past Spain and then the west coast of England before landing at Ballycotton, County Cork on Sunday.

Ballycotton RNLI Lifeboat chief John Tattan told The Irish Examiner: ‘This is one in a million. 

The crew of the Tanzanian-flagged Alta were rescued 1,300 miles southeast of Bermuda in October 2018, the vessel was then spotted in the mid-Atlantic by the Royal Navy in September last year and most recently it is believed to have made its way from West Africa before being driven landward to Ireland by Storm Dennis

The crew of the Tanzanian-flagged Alta were rescued 1,300 miles southeast of Bermuda in October 2018, the vessel was then spotted in the mid-Atlantic by the Royal Navy in September last year and most recently it is believed to have made its way from West Africa before being driven landward to Ireland by Storm Dennis

It is believed to have made its way from the west of Africa, north past Spain and then the west coast of England before landing at Ballycotton, County Cork on Sunday

It is believed to have made its way from the west of Africa, north past Spain and then the west coast of England before landing at Ballycotton, County Cork on Sunday

It is believed to have made its way from the west of Africa, north past Spain and then the west coast of England before landing at Ballycotton, County Cork on Sunday

Ballycotton RNLI Lifeboat chief John Tattan said the ship's washing up was 'one in a million'

Ballycotton RNLI Lifeboat chief John Tattan said the ship's washing up was 'one in a million'

Ballycotton RNLI Lifeboat chief John Tattan said the ship’s washing up was ‘one in a million’

A spokesman for the Waterford Coast Guard said the boat was not polluting the environment, however, he is expressed concerns that high tide could soon take the ship back out to sea, presenting dangers to vessels in the area

A spokesman for the Waterford Coast Guard said the boat was not polluting the environment, however, he is expressed concerns that high tide could soon take the ship back out to sea, presenting dangers to vessels in the area

A spokesman for the Waterford Coast Guard said the boat was not polluting the environment, however, he is expressed concerns that high tide could soon take the ship back out to sea, presenting dangers to vessels in the area

‘It has come all the way up from the African coast, west of the Spanish coast, west of the English coast and up to the Irish coast.

‘I have never, ever seen anything abandoned like that before.’

Mr Tattan said that efforts were being made to contact the ship’s owner. However, the US Coast Guard found their own efforts in this regard fruitless when it was first discovered.

A spokesman for the Waterford Coast Guard said the boat was not polluting the environment, however, he is expressed concerns that high tide could soon take the ship back out to sea, presenting dangers to vessels in the area. 

The 250ft boat was spotted in September last year by the Royal Navy in the mid-Atlantic.

HMS Protector tweeted at the time: ‘We closed the vessel to make contact and offer our assistance, but no one replied! Whilst investigations continue we’re unable to give you more detail on this strange event.’ 

In October 2018, the vessel, which had been without power for 20 days, was airdropped supplies by the US Coast Guard while drifting 1,380 miles southeast of Bermuda.

The 44-year-old ship had become disabled when journeying from Greece to Haiti, the Coast Guard said.

The 250ft boat was spotted in September last year by the Royal Navy in the mid-Atlantic

The 250ft boat was spotted in September last year by the Royal Navy in the mid-Atlantic

The 250ft boat was spotted in September last year by the Royal Navy in the mid-Atlantic

Ballycotton RNLI Lifeboat chief John Tattan said efforts were being made to contact the ship's owner

Ballycotton RNLI Lifeboat chief John Tattan said efforts were being made to contact the ship's owner

Ballycotton RNLI Lifeboat chief John Tattan said efforts were being made to contact the ship’s owner

A week later the Coast Guard’s Cutter Confidence sped out to the vessel to rescue the crew ahead of Hurricane Leslie’s arrival.

At the time the US officials said they had been working to establish who the ship’s owner was so they could organise for a commercial tug to take it ashore. 

However, marine sources have said that it is possible that the vessel has been hijacked at some point in its history, perhaps more than once, making its owner difficult to trace.