There is a “ghost island” in the South Pacific that has puzzled geographers for many years.
This “island” is believed to be a small landmass, named Sandy Island. It appears on many types of maps, including Google Maps, yet it remains shrouded in mystery.
On Google Earth, users can see this “island” situated between Australia and New Caledonia. It appears as a dark patch, but unlike the nearby islands, there are no clear details visible on it, adding to its enigmatic nature.
Location of the “ghost island”. (Photo: Wion).
Captain James Cook, the famous British explorer, marked “Sandy I” on maps as early as 1776, according to Daily Express. Exactly 100 years later, vessels passing through reported sighting this island. However, in 1979, the French Hydrographic Service suddenly removed it from their charts. In 2012, Google also deleted Sandy Island from Google Maps. Nevertheless, many users claim to still see “something” on satellite images. Over the years, there have been instances when the “ghost island” was visible on Google Earth and times when it was not.
As a result, Australian scientists decided to investigate the location of Sandy Island firsthand. To their surprise, they found nothing but the deep blue sea at the supposed site of the island—completely different from what they had expected. This area is about 1,400 meters deep, meaning it is unlikely for something that was once visible above water to now be submerged.
Visible on the map, but not there in reality. (Photo: Google Maps).
Maria Seton from the University of Sydney told AFP: “We wanted to check it because it (the island) appears on Google Earth and other maps. But it turns out there is no island there. We were very surprised. So how did it appear on the maps? It’s a mystery.”
There is still no official explanation for the sporadic appearance of Sandy Island, but the most popular theory is that Sandy Island is the remnant of a submerged volcano or an underwater eruption. These remnants can sometimes drift several miles, and Captain Cook may have mistakenly identified it as an island.
Zooming in still reveals no details on the “island”, leaving many curious. (Photo: Google Maps/ Mirror).
According to Mirror, we can still find Sandy Island by searching for the coordinates 19.22°S 159.93°E. However, no one has yet been able to confirm whether this island ever existed or, if it hasn’t completely disappeared, where it might be now.