On board a 'ghost' ship: Eerie footage inside a deserted oil tanker found washed ashore on a remote beach in Liberia

  • The Tamaya 1 was found on a beach in Robertsport, Liberia, this week 
  • There was no crew and one of two lifeboats on board the abandoned vessel
  • Its last registered position was just south of Dakar, Senegal, on April 22
  • New reports reveal it was gutted by fire although the cause is unknown

Overturned crates, wires strewn across the floor and charred metal litter the interior of an oil tanker mysteriously washed ashore on a remote beach in previously unseen footage. 

The 60 metre-long Panamanian registered Nigerian flagged vessel, Tamaya 1 was found abandoned and stranded on a beach in Liberia earlier this week.

New reports from the Ministry Of National Defense reveal that the ship had been devastated by fire and that the hatches were opened and contained a mixture of oil and water, but the cause of the blaze remains unknown.

Washed ashore:  The 60 metre-long Panamanian registered Nigerian flagged vessel, Tamaya 1 was found abandoned and stranded on a beach in Liberia earlier this week

Washed ashore:  The 60 metre-long Panamanian registered Nigerian flagged vessel, Tamaya 1 was found abandoned and stranded on a beach in Liberia earlier this week

Creepy: Overturned crates, wires strewn across the floor and charred metal litter the interior of the oil tanker

Creepy: Overturned crates, wires strewn across the floor and charred metal litter the interior of the oil tanker

They explained in a statement: 'During the search on board the vessel, it was discovered that the abandoned vessel is an oil tanker and but so far no information was established regarding the number of crew members as no crew members were found on board,' 

'It was further gathered by the Liberian Coast Guard (LCG) that the vessel was gutted by fire, leaving the bridge (Upper and Control Center) burned along with all documents'. 

The released video footage shows the extent of the fire and the damaged interior of the ship.

To add to the mystery, one of the two lifeboats on board was still present with the other yet to be traced.  

Most concerning is that the ship spent a week at sea during which its location was not recorded by MarineTraffic, a free service which gives information based on land-based devices receiving tanker information.

Abandoned: New reports reveal that the ship had been devastated by fire and that the hatches were opened and contained a mixture of oil and water, but the cause of the blaze remains unknown

Abandoned: New reports reveal that the ship had been devastated by fire and that the hatches were opened and contained a mixture of oil and water, but the cause of the blaze remains unknown

Eerie:  'So far no information was established regarding the number of crew members as no crew members were found on board'

Eerie:  'So far no information was established regarding the number of crew members as no crew members were found on board'

Wrecked: To add to the mystery, one of the two lifeboats on board was still present with the other yet to be traced

Wrecked: To add to the mystery, one of the two lifeboats on board was still present with the other yet to be traced

Mysterious:  The ship spent a week at sea during which its location was not recorded by MarineTraffic, a free service which gives information based on land-based devices receiving tanker information

Mysterious:  The ship spent a week at sea during which its location was not recorded by MarineTraffic, a free service which gives information based on land-based devices receiving tanker information

Beached:  According to website G-Captain , the boat's last known position was just south of the port in Dakar, Senegal, on April 22

Beached:  According to website G-Captain , the boat's last known position was just south of the port in Dakar, Senegal, on April 22

No sign of life: Police are now trying to keep locals away from the wreckage since it was reportedly looted and vandalised amid speculation that pirates are to blame for the curious incident

No sign of life: Police are now trying to keep locals away from the wreckage since it was reportedly looted and vandalised amid speculation that pirates are to blame for the curious incident

'It is rare that these devices just stop working unless it's intentional,' said Philip Miller, vice president of operations and engineering at marine monitoring companyExactEarth. 

'It's an electronic device so it would have to be turned off. If they turned it off, they're violating international law, and if it's broken, they're supposed to fix it.' 

According to website G-Captain, the boat's last known position was just south of the port in Dakar, Senegal, on April 22.  

Locals inspect the ship: The Tamaya 1 oil tanker washed ashore in Liberia earlier this week, without its crew or its life boats on board

Locals inspect the ship: The Tamaya 1 oil tanker washed ashore in Liberia earlier this week, without its crew or its life boats on board

But residents appeared to be more worried by the fact the authorities were apparently unaware of its existence for several days when they finally sent someone to investigate.

'How could the security officers not know what was unfolding?' one asked the Liberian Daily Observer.

'That it took over two days before they knew about the ship's presence, is troubling.'

Police are now trying to keep locals away from the wreckage since it was reportedly looted and vandalised amid speculation that pirates are to blame for the curious incident. 

The Ministry of National Defense has assured that the Liberian coast guard along with other security agencies are further investigating to unravel circumstances surrounding the abandoned oil tanker. 

Historic: The 60 metre ship (pictured in 2009) is registered in Panama, and was built in 1980

Historic: The 60 metre ship (pictured in 2009) is registered in Panama, and was built in 1980

Off the cost of West Africa: No one knows what happened to it after it was last registered near The Gambia on April 22, more than 600 miles north of Liberia

Off the cost of West Africa: No one knows what happened to it after it was last registered near The Gambia on April 22, more than 600 miles north of Liberia

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