The greatest unsolved mysteries of the deep: From the Mary Celeste which was found abandoned with a meal on the table in 1872 to the WWI US warship that disappeared without a trace in 1918

DAILY MAIL

The sinking of the Titanic in April 1912 with the loss of more than 1,500 lives has long captivated experts and amateurs alike. 

This week’s disappearance of a submarine carrying five people including British billionaire Hamish Hamilton has triggered a frantic search before oxygen onboard the vessel runs out. 

But the unfolding tragedy is just the latest chapter in a chequered history of humanity’s relationship with the ocean. 

Of the thousands of vessels which have been lost at sea or disappeared in mysterious circumstances, some stand out for the fact that their final resting places – or the fate of their crew – remain unknown.

Perhaps most famous is the Mary Celeste, which was found abandoned in the Atlantic in 1872, with its ten crew having disappeared without a trace. 

Below, MailOnline explores the story of the ship and five other vessels that either vanished or sank and have never been found.  

Mary Celeste (1872)

To this day, the story of the Mary Celeste remains perhaps the greatest of all sea mysteries. 

The ship, an American brig, was found derelict in the Atlantic halfway between Portugal and the Azores on December 4, 1872. 

The sails were set and a meal was still on the table. 

The vessel, which was carrying crude alcohol, had sailed from New York with ten people onboard and was bound for Genoa. 

Among those on the ship was Captain Benjamin Briggs, who was with his wife and two-year-old daughter. 

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