The Frozen Body of A Captain Found In A Ghost Ship | Next To Him Was A Haunting Letter To His Wife!
In the vast stretch of the Philippine Sea, local fishermen stumbled upon a ghost Yacht with something really eerie inside. This abandoned yacht drifted in the sea with a frozen captain who slumped over his desk. The ship has reportedly gone missing for 7 years at the time they discovered. This sailor was recognized as the mummified remains of Manfred Fritz Bajorat. A 59-year-old sailor from Germany. By the looks of it, he wanted to make a last distress call as well. This must have been his last attempt to save himself from death. But, it was not all they found. Next to him was a letter he wrote to his dead wife. What more haunting things have they found and what is in the letter?
Unraveling the Mystery of Manfred Fritz Bajorat
In 2016, a group of fishermen 60 miles off the coast of the Philippine island of Mindanao spotted a vessel that seemed to emerge from the mist like a ghost ship. The lonely yacht with its mast broken, told a silent tale of a sailor’s final voyage.
Manfred’s body sat by the radio, giving an eerie feeling to the observers. He was a sailor from Germany who was last seen in 2009. In 2009 Manfred met another sailor, known as Dieter. He introduced Manfred as a very “experienced sailor” to BILD.
“I don’t believe he would have sailed into a storm. I believe the mast broke after Manfred was already dead.”
Dieter (Manfred’s last witness)
According to the reports, his body had the signs of a heart attack or stroke. There were no indicators of violence or even foul play that could have resulted in his death.
Mummification at Sea
Experts like Peter Vanezis and Frank Wehner say that the unique combination of air, heat, and sea salt can preserve a body. The process begins with the drying of the skin and a complete transformation takes place within several weeks. The investigation teams used dilute sodium hydroxide to restore his facial features and fingerprints.
To confirm Bajorat’s identity, investigators also turned to items found on the yacht like his photographs with family and friends along with other personal belongings. The ship had a collection of family photos showing an overjoyed individual with his wife and daughter. The photos taken near the Notre Dame and cafes in Paris and at picnics showed a tight-knit family.
A photo inside the ship showed a photo of Bajorat holding a baby with the caption: “Our first time with our little Button on the sea.”
“The air, heat, and saltiness of the sea are all very conducive to mummification. It starts within two to three weeks. The fingers and other extremities … dry quickly, and in a month or two they are well gone.”
Peter Vanezis, a forensic pathology professor at Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry.
The Haunting Letter: A Final Farewell
To everyone’s surprise, there was a handwritten letter to his beloved wife Claudia.
‘Thirty years we’re been together on the same path. Then the power of the demons was stronger than the will to live. You’re gone. May your soul find its peace. Your Manfred,’ the letter read. His wife passed from cancer in 2010, at the age of 53.
German embassy on Mindanao Island tried to reach out to his family. However, they found that his ex-wife had died and only his daughter was there. After flying his daughter Nina out to identify the body, authorities learned that Manfred had been sailing the seas alone for years.
Conclusion
In the annals of maritime history, the tale of Manfred Fritz Bajorat and his ghost ship will endure as a testament to the unfathomable depths of the sea. His journey reminds the fragile line between life and death, and the mysteries that lie beyond our comprehension. In honoring his memory, we pay tribute to the enduring spirit of exploration and discovery that defines our relationship with the natural world.
Also read,
