Watch Now


What happened to the Mary Celeste crew?

Adrift, undamaged ship full of cargo but not its crew

The Mary Celeste was a ship that was found abandoned in the middle of the ocean but completely intact. (Photo: Antonio Ciero Reina/Shutterstock)

FreightWaves Classics is sponsored by Old Dominion Freight Line — Helping the World Keep Promises. Learn more here.

On Dec. 5, 1872, an eerie sight emerged on the Atlantic Ocean. The British brigantine Mary Celeste was discovered adrift, deserted by its crew, but undamaged and full of cargo. On this episode of Tracks Through Time, FreightWaves Deputy Editor Brielle Jaekel speaks with the author of “The Ghost of the Mary Celeste” to learn more about the mystery and some of the theories behind the crew’s disappearance.

FreightWaves Classics articles look at various aspects of the transportation industry’s history. Click here to subscribe to our newsletter!


Have a topic you want me to cover? Email me at bjaekel@freightwaves.com or follow me on Twitter.

Brielle Jaekel

Brielle is the deputy editor of Freight Waves and has a more-than-10-year history in B2B publishing, tackling cutting edge stories in business, with four years specifically focused on freight. She’s interviewed numerous CEOs and is adept at finding stories that matter to the industry. She believes in finding a new way forward in the supply chain to solve problems, drive sustainability and put people first. If you’d like to get in touch with Brielle, please email her at bjaekel@freightwaves.com.