There are ordinary-looking lighthouses around the world that will surprise you with their chilling stories. The intricate plots of these tales are sure to fill your mind with uncomfortable questions. One such story, about the keepers of the Flannan Isles Lighthouse, who mysteriously disappeared in 1900, will force you to look beyond the ordinary and into the mystery of these lighthouse towers.
In 1899, a lighthouse was built on the Flannan Isles to protect passing ships from harm. Local residents opposed the construction, believing it would incur the wrath of Saint Flann, who claimed Eilean Mór, one of the Flannan Isles, as his own.
The Flann Isles, located in Scotland, were completely uninhabited for centuries. The only sign of habitation was the chapel of St. Flann, also in a dilapidated state. Flann, an Irish monk, lived in this chapel in the seventh century. He had such a profound influence on the region that locals believed the islands remained under the influence of his spirit after his death. For this reason, they opposed the construction of a lighthouse, warning that it would upset the spirit.
Despite these warnings, the lighthouse was built, and exactly one year later something mysterious happened.
In December 1900, three men, Donald MacArthur, James Ducat and Thomas Marshall, appointed lighthouse keepers on Eilean Mór Island, disappeared without a trace.
The mysterious disappearance of the lighthouse keepers came to light when a note was found in the ship's log «Archtor» It was recorded that the lighthouse's fog lamp stopped glowing even in bad weather. This became a signal that something was wrong, and was soon confirmed when a supply ship arrived on the island, "« Hesperus"» , found the lighthouse in complete disarray.
Upon arrival "« Hesperus"» He didn't receive the expected greeting from the lighthouse keepers, and the flagpole was empty. Although the keepers customarily left crates of provisions on the pier for replenishment, the relieving crew found none.
When shift caretaker Joseph Moore went to check on the situation, he found both the entrance gate and the main door locked. Finding this odd, he decided to investigate further, and what he discovered not only puzzled him but also shocked him.
Inside the lighthouse, the beds lay unmade, and the clock stood motionless. There were only two waterproofs, suggesting that one of the keepers had left the lighthouse unaccompanied by the other two. An overturned chair lay near the kitchen, and food remained uneaten on the table.
In response, Harvey, the captain of the rescue vessel, immediately wrote to the Northern Lighthouse Authority about the incident, stating several possible causes.
Despite a search for clues and subsequent examination of the island, no trace of the caretakers was ever found.
The lighthouse keepers were required to keep a log of their activities. Since the last entry in the log was dated December 15, that date was assumed to be the date of their disappearance.
Did a storm really blow the keepers off the cliff? Or was their disappearance caused by something more inexplicable?
We don't know!
Several theories have been put forward to explain the sudden disappearance of the caretakers. Some were merely speculation, while others were based on research.
Some cited supernatural causes for the keepers' sudden disappearance. Others believed the men may have sailed away in search of better prospects. Still others suspected the involvement of foreign spies.
However, one of the most compelling theories about the disappearance of the Flannan Isles lighthouse keepers is presented in a 2015 book called« Natural History of Lighthouses"» . The author, John Love, attempted to lift the veil of secrecy surrounding this tragedy, drawing on the results of his own research.
In his book, he blamed the caretakers' negligence as the true cause of the tragedy. According to the book, two caretakers had previously been fined for improperly storing their equipment at the landing site during a previous storm.
Then, when another severe storm hit the area, the two men became concerned about the safety of their equipment on the landing pad and rushed to check it. The wind must have been so strong that when the men stepped outside, they were both blown away.
The third man was still in the lighthouse, waiting for the other two. He had to stay there because leaving the lighthouse unattended was prohibited.
When they didn't return for a long time, he most likely went out to check on them, but was swept away by the current. Since they were the first lighthouse keepers, they were likely just learning their trade. Therefore, this theory is considered the most plausible of all those put forward so far.
Despite widespread acceptance due to the logic of the positions presented, John Love's conclusions, like all other theories put forward before and after his work, are merely speculation.
The sad truth, which remains undeniable to this day, is that no one, absolutely no one in the world, knows for sure what happened to those three lighthouse keepers on Flannan Island on that fateful December night in 1900.
In 2018, a film titled "The Vanishing" was made based on this mysterious incident. Starring Gerard Butler, the film became a blockbuster, grossing $200 million.
(Sources: 1, 2, 3)