The Silent Ship Mystery: Still Unsolved After 77 Years part 2

In the radio room, they found the body of the radio operator who had sent the messages. His fingers were still on the Morse key, just as they had been when he sent the final message: “I die.”

The rescue team concluded that something highly abnormal had occurred. Since there were no visible injuries, it appeared they had all died from extreme fear or some unseen cause.

They decided to tow the ship to the nearest port for further investigation. However, as they began tying ropes, smoke started rising from Cargo Hold Number Four. At first it was light smoke, but within moments, flames erupted. The fire spread so rapidly that the rescue team had no choice but to retreat. They jumped back into their boats and returned to the Silver Star.

As soon as they reached their ship, SS Ourang Medan exploded violently. The blast scattered debris across the sea. Within moments, the mysterious ship sank into the depths, taking all its secrets with it.

No physical evidence remained. Only the testimony of the Silver Star crew.

Because of the lack of evidence, many people dismissed the story as a fabrication. Some researchers claimed that no ship named SS Ourang Medan was officially registered. Lloyd's Register, which keeps global ship records, had no listing of such a vessel.

However, others argue that this was just after World War II, when many ships operated under false names or were unregistered. It is possible that SS Ourang Medan was involved in illegal activities and therefore never officially registered.

In 1954, Dutch newspapers published articles describing the entire incident. Some former crew members claimed the ship had been used to smuggle illegal goods.

Years later, in 2003, the Central Intelligence Agency declassified certain secret files, including a letter dated May 29, 1958, mentioning the Ourang Medan incident. The writer suggested that solving this tragedy might explain the disappearance of many ships and airplanes in the region. The letter had remained classified for 45 years before being released.

The most logical theory at the time was that the ship was carrying dangerous chemicals. Remember, World War II had just ended. Japan and Germany possessed deadly chemical substances. It is said that the ship may have been smuggling chemicals such as potassium cyanide or nitroglycerin.

Experts suggest that if seawater mixed with potassium cyanide, it could produce highly toxic gas. Inhalation could cause rapid suffocation, explaining why there were no visible injuries. Nitroglycerin, being highly explosive, could also explain the fire and explosion.

Another angle suggests the ship might have been transporting materials linked to Unit 731, the infamous Japanese military unit that conducted biological experiments on humans during the war. After Japan’s defeat, the United States reportedly sought access to Japanese scientists and research. It is speculated that secret biological or chemical weapons may have leaked onboard, killing the entire crew.

Some crew members of Silver Star described the atmosphere onboard as heavy and unnatural. The dog’s frozen aggressive posture led some to speculate about a supernatural element.

To this day, the truth about SS Ourang Medan remains buried beneath the sea. We can only speculate. Logically, the chemical leak theory appears strongest. Smuggling dangerous war chemicals without proper safety measures may have cost the sailors their lives.

This incident remains one of those rare mysteries that remind us how many secrets the sea still holds. Even today, when ships pass through the Strait of Malacca, old sailors remember the chilling story of SS Ourang Medan.

No matter how advanced humanity becomes, nature and fate can still overpower us.