WORLD HISTORY AND FACTS

Ghost Ship" Called The Ss Ourang Medan In the 1940s, an eerie story about a mysterious "ghost ship" called the SS Ourang Medan began appearing in newspapers around the world.  Each version of the tale varied slightly, but most agreed on a few key points. The Dutch vessel was traveling through the Strait of Malacca near Indonesia when its radio operator suddenly sent out a chilling message:  "SOS from Ourang Medan… We float. All officers, including the Captain, dead in chartroom and on the bridge. Probably whole of crew dead… I die." An American ship called the Silver Star soon responded and the rescuers who boarded the Ourang Medan came upon a horrifying scene. The entire crew was dead, scattered throughout the vessel with their faces frozen in terror. Even the ship's dog had died mid-snarl.  However, there were no apparent injuries on their bodies and no one could figure out how they died. The Silver Star was then about to tow the Ourang Medan to port when...