The Mystery Of The Teignmouth Electron

The 40-foot decaying remains of the Teignmouth Electron serve as a reminder to the mysterious circumstances surrounding the disappearance of its owner.

The ship has been left to rot on the beach of Cayman Brac, how it ended up there is a strange story indeed.

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The rotting remains of the Teignmouth Electron
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The vessel now rests on a beach in the Cayman Islands

In the 1960’s, business man Donald Crowhurst built the Teignmouth Electron for a round-the-world yacht race.

Yet in 1969, when the vessel was found drifting like a ghost ship in the Atlantic, Crowhurst was nowhere to be found.

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Businessman Donald Crowhurst of Bridgewater disappeared in 1968 after entering the first Sunday Times around the world yacht race.

Bizarre log entries made by Crowhurst remained on board, increasing the mysteriousness of it all.

Some believe that due to sailing troubles he came adrift of the race, but reported false positions to seem as if he was still in the running.

To add to the tragedy those reports had fooled the press and public into believing that, after a voyage of 240 days, he was sailing home to England in triumph, the winner of the first Sunday Times around the world yacht race.

Thousands prepared for his happy return. Then of course he vanished.

When his trimaran was found, ghosting through the mid-Atlantic under a single sail, it was believed he must have become lost at sea and eventually jumped overboard to drown.

Businessman Donald Crowhurst of Bridgewater, who disappeared in 1968 after entering the first Sunday Times around the world yacht race. The circumstances of his death have never been resolved. His yacht, the Teignmouth Electron, was eventually found on Cayman Brac in the West Indies. Now a film of his final voyage may be made.
The circumstances surrounding his death have never been resolved.

(The suspicious believe that he used the race to fake his own death, and was picked up somewhere to begin a new life with a new identity.)

The ship was finally salvaged from the Atlantic, and went through several owner in the intervening years.

Until its final resting place, left to decay on the shore of the Cayman Islands.

(Image Credits: Festival360, Packmatt/Flickr, Panramio, Guardian)
(For an excellent article surrounding the disappearance of Donald Crowhurst, head here)
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