Mystery of the Mary Celeste 'ghost ship' is SOLVED

"One thing that has always been suspicious to us as chemists is that their only cargo was almost pure ethanol. In fact, the Mary Celeste was filled with over 1,700 barrels of pure alcohol, but when investigators came on board, nine of these barrels were mysteriously empty. Scientists think that up to 1,100 litres of ethanol leaked into the hold and vaporised, creating the perfect conditions for a terrifying fireball."

"'It basically spooked the crew into abandoning ship very quickly without leaving any trace,' says Dr Rowbotham. Even at the time the Mary Celeste was found, the merchant ship's boozy cargo was the topic of intense speculation. Given the missing crew and empty barrels, many assumed that some alcohol-fuelled disaster drove the crew to drunkenly flee the ship."

"'There is a key temperature which is very important for ethanol, and that is 13°C (55°F),' says Dr Rowbotham. 'That point, called its flash point, is the minimum temperature at which the vapour from ethanol will ignite.' Critically, the Mary Celeste took on its cargo of ethanol from New York in the middle of winter, where te"

On December 5, 1872, the Mary Celeste was found drifting in the North Atlantic with no crew aboard and no signs of struggle. The cargo included over 1,700 barrels of almost pure ethanol, yet nine barrels were empty when investigators boarded. Scientists propose that up to 1,100 litres of ethanol leaked into the hold and vaporised, creating flammable vapour. Ignition could occur when ethanol vapour reached its flash point of 13°C (55°F). The ship loaded the ethanol in winter conditions, which may have allowed vapour formation and a rapid fireball. The crew likely abandoned the vessel quickly, leaving no trace.

Read at Mail Online