Zoinks, gang! We have a mystery on our hands. A mysterious ghost boat has ran aground in New Jersey, and it's sparked a federal investigation as a result.
Far from the Flying Dutchman, the ghost boat appears to be a 32-foot 1984 Bayliner cabin cruiser. It was spotted in the waters off New Jersey before running aground at the head of the Shrewsbury River in Sandy Hook. According to Asbury Park Press, several by-standers spotted the ghost boat as it made its way to shore.
It appears that no one is aboard the vessel. There also appears to be some damage to one side of the ship. The National Park Service and US Coast Guard sprang into action to figure out exactly what is going on. They found that the owner of the vessel was listed as Lina T.
"There is an open investigation into the circumstances of the vessel's grounding," NPS spokesperson Daphne Yun told the Asbury Park Press. "The National Park Service is working with the U.S. Coast Guard to safely remove the vessel."
Ghost Boat Runs Aground
Meanwhile, Coast Guard Petty Officer Second Class Sydney Phoenix confirmed that there's no pollution or hazardous materials in the water.
They said, "Though there has been no pollution reported from this vessel yet, our primary focus is removing any threat of future pollution of oil or hazardous substances to the marine environment now that the vessel is aground in the sand."
The ghost boat drew plenty of attention for people online.
"First drones, and now ghosts ships. I love NJ!," One man said. Another wrote, "Definitely not a ghost ship. Broke free during the huge ice flow we had the other day."
Another wrote, "Lots of free boats , most in people's yards after the Florida hurricanes."
Another wrote, "Hahahaha, it's from Hartshorne woods cove and it's no mystery. Everyone knows it's been floating around the last few weeks in the ice. Some guy lived on it and another boat that was anchored in the cove. I would say someone exaggerated about feds investigating a drifting boat."
