In this article we’ll explore ten chilling unexplained S.O.S. calls that have been recorded over the years, and investigate who the callers may have been trying to reach. From desperate cries for help in isolated locations to mysterious messages sent out as distress signals, these stories of lost souls searching for answers will leave you wondering what really happened to these unidentified people. Through an objective and informative exploration of these cases, readers can get a better understanding of these tragic events.
10 Chilling Unexplained SOS Calls: Who Were They Trying to Reach?
An SOS call is a distress signal used by people in danger to draw attention from any nearby vessels. An SOS call can be sent using various types of communication systems, such as radio and satellite phones. In the past, mariners would send out a Morse code signal with their lights or flares. Despite advances in technology, many SOS calls remain unexplained and mysterious.
From the sinking of the Titanic to strange signals detected in remote regions, here are ten chilling unexplained SOS calls that have been heard over the years.
1. The Bermuda Triangle
The Bermuda Triangle is a mysterious region in the western part of the North Atlantic Ocean where many ships and planes have gone missing over the last few centuries. It has become notorious for its mysterious disappearances and unexplained SOS calls emanating from the area. Most notably, a Coast Guard cutter named USCGC Vigilante received a distress signal saying “This is the SS Marine Sulphur Queen, we are sinking fast.” No trace of the vessel was ever found.
2. The Titanic
The sinking of the RMS Titanic in 1912 sent out numerous distress signals that were never answered. Radio operators on board the ill-fated ship sent out multiple SOS calls, but all attempts failed. The closest vessel to the Titanic, the RMS Carpathia, received the SOS late as it was too far away from the disaster site. Although other ships had received the urgent message, most were too far away to answer the call.
3. The MV Joyita
The MV Joyita was a merchant ship that set sail from Samoa in 1955 and went missing shortly after. A few days after its disappearance, the vessel was spotted adrift off the coast of Fiji with its SOS radio distress beacon still activated. When the ship was boarded, no one was found on board. To this day, the mysterious disappearance of the MV Joyita remains unexplained.
4. The S.O.S. Distress Signal
In 2019, a mysterious SOS signal was picked up by a ham radio operator in Australia. The signal was transmitted for about an hour, and it was thought to originate somewhere in Europe or Africa. Later, the signal was tracked to an area just north of Madagascar. However, no further information could be gathered from the source.
5. The Lady Be Good Incident
In 1943, during World War II, a U.S. bomber aircraft named Lady Be Good disappeared while flying over the Mediterranean Sea. Several weeks later, an SOS signal was picked up by a British warship, but the location could not be determined. A search party eventually found the wreckage of the plane on the Libyan desert with the crew nowhere to be found.
6. The SS Baychimo Incident
In 1931, the SS Baychimo was a steamship that got stuck in pack ice near Alaska’s Barrow Island. After the crew abandoned the vessel, the ship became trapped in the ice and drifted for nearly 40 years. During that time, there were numerous reports of SOS signals being sent out from the ship. However, despite the numerous sightings, no one was ever able to locate the ship.
7. The Echo-Victoria Incident
In 2005, the Echo-Victoria, a fishing boat, sent out an SOS signal off the coast of South Carolina. Despite a massive search operation, no trace of the boat or its crew was ever found. The only evidence of the incident was a piece of debris that washed ashore months later. To this day, the disappearance of the Echo-Victoria remains a mystery.
8. The USS Cyclops
In 1918, the USS Cyclops, a U.S. Navy supply ship, disappeared while en route to Baltimore. The ship sent out an SOS signal, but no response was ever received. To this day, the disappearance of the USS Cyclops remains unsolved, and investigators have been unable to determine what happened to the vessel.
9. The SS Ourang Medan Incident
In 1947, the SS Ourang Medan, a Dutch merchant ship, sent out an SOS signal from the Strait of Malacca. The distress signal stated that the ship was sinking due to some mysterious happening onboard. When a rescue vessel arrived at the scene, they found the crew dead and the ship drifting aimlessly. To this day, the cause of the incident remains unknown.
10. The MH370 Incident
In 2014, Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 (MH370) vanished without a trace while en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. Despite a massive search operation, no trace of the plane or its passengers were ever found. Investigators believe that the plane may have sent out an SOS signal shortly before it vanished, but the signal was never detected.
These are just some of the chilling and mysterious SOS calls that have been heard over the years. While some of these cases have been solved, others remain puzzling mysteries. It is likely that these SOS calls will continue to haunt us for years to come.