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SS Ourang Medan
A distress call from a Dutch freighter: 'All officers dead... I die.' Rescuers found the crew dead, faces frozen in terror, arms reaching upward. Then the ship exploded. No records prove it existed.
June 1947
Strait of Malacca, Indonesia
20+ witnesses
The SS Ourang Medan is one of the sea’s greatest mysteries—if it happened at all.
The Distress Call
According to reported accounts:
In 1947 or 1948:
- Ships received SOS
- In Morse code
- “All officers dead”
- “Probably whole crew dead”
- Final message: “I die”
The Discovery
Rescue ships allegedly found:
- Vessel drifting
- No signs of damage
- Crew dead on deck
- Faces frozen in horror
- Arms raised defensively
The Horror
The bodies showed:
- Eyes wide open
- Mouths agape in terror
- No visible injuries
- Even the ship’s dog was dead
- Same terrified expression
The Explosion
Before investigation:
- Fire broke out
- Ship exploded
- Sank rapidly
- Evidence destroyed
- No bodies recovered
The Mystery
Questions remain:
- What killed the crew?
- Why no injuries?
- What terrified them?
- Why did it explode?
- Did it even exist?
The Problem
Historical records:
- No registration found
- No Lloyd’s records
- Contemporary accounts exist
- But documentation missing
- May be legend
Theories
If it happened:
- Toxic cargo (nerve agent)
- Methane bubble
- Carbon monoxide
- Mass poisoning
- Something unknown