The Flannan Isles Lighthouse Disappearance

In December 1900, three lighthouse keepers on the remote Flannan Isles in Scotland’s Outer Hebrides vanished without trace. The relief boat found the lighthouse abandoned, a meal uneaten, and the men gone as if snatched away.

The Discovery

On December 26, 1900, the relief vessel arrived at the lighthouse. No flag flew, no keepers appeared to meet the boat. Investigation found the clock stopped, the lamps unlit, and two of three sets of oilskins missing.

The Evidence

The lighthouse log recorded severe storms on December 12, though the mainland recorded no such weather. A chair was overturned. All personal effects remained. The men had simply ceased to exist.

Theories

The official explanation suggested the men were swept away by a wave while securing equipment. Other theories include murder, madness, abduction by supernatural forces, or rescue by a passing ship that later sank.

The Log

The final log entry has become legendary. It described Thomas Marshall crying over the storm while veteran keeper James Ducat remained strangely quiet. Some believe these entries indicate psychological breakdown; others think they were fabricated.

Assessment

The Flannan Isles disappearance remains unsolved after over a century. Whatever took the three keepers left no trace, creating one of maritime history’s most enduring mysteries.