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The Flannan Isles Lighthouse Mystery

Three lighthouse keepers vanished without a trace from a remote Scottish lighthouse, leaving behind a stopped clock and an unfinished meal.

December 1900
Flannan Isles, Outer Hebrides, Scotland
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The Flannan Isles Lighthouse Mystery

In December 1900, three lighthouse keepers vanished from the Flannan Isles Lighthouse. Thomas Marshall, James Ducat, and Donald MacArthur were found missing when the relief vessel arrived. Their disappearance remains unsolved.

The Discovery

On December 26, 1900, the relief vessel found the lighthouse dark. Inside, the clock had stopped, an uneaten meal sat on the table, and two oilskins were missing, but one remained. No keeper would go outside without his coat in December.

The Logbook

The final entries described a terrible storm, yet no storm was recorded on the mainland for those dates. The entries mentioned the keepers praying and expressed fear.

The Theories

The official conclusion stated the men were swept away while securing equipment. But many questions remain: Why would all three leave? Why did one go without his coat? What happened to their bodies?

The truth of what happened on that remote lighthouse may never be known.