Ghost Ship lost in 1886 discovered after nearly 140 years

A ghost ship that sank in Lake Michigan almost 140 years ago has finally been discovered by the joint efforts of the Wisconsin Historical Society and the Wisconsin Underwater Archeology Association.

According to the Associated Press, the wreckage of the 144-foot, three-masted schooner was discovered on June 28 by a team of researchers led by Brendon Baillod.

The ship was built in 1867 to transport grain or ore and it went missing in 1886.

The ship named F.J. King sank after 8 to 10 foot waves rupturing her seams, however, the crew remained safe.

The crew escaped in a yawl boat and was rescued by another schooner on September 15, 1886.

The decades of unsuccessful attempts to locate the wreckage led to the vessel being declared a “ghost boat” by shipwreck hunters.

The lead researcher expressed that finally discovering the ship-wreck felt like a dream, stating, “A few of us had to pinch each other. After all the previous searches, we couldn’t believe we had actually found it.”

Since the boat sank while transporting Iron ore from Michigan to Chicago, finding the hull intact was a discovery in its own.