#[1]publisher [2]alternate [3]Skip to main content [4]The Guardian - Back to home Support The Guardian Available for everyone, funded by readers [5]Contribute [6]Subscribe [7]Contribute [8]Search jobs [9]Sign in [ ] My account * Comments & replies * [10]Public profile * [11]Account details * [12]Emails & marketing ______________________________________________________________ * [13]Membership * [14]Contributions * [15]Subscriptions ______________________________________________________________ * [16]Sign out [17]Search [ ] * [18]switch to the US edition * [19]switch to the UK edition * [20]switch to the Australia edition * [21]switch to the International edition current edition: US edition * [22]News * [23]Opinion * [24]Sport * [25]Culture * [26]Lifestyle [ ] Show More * (BUTTON) News + [27]US news + [28]Elections 2020 + [29]World news + [30]Environment + [31]Soccer + [32]US politics + [33]Business + [34]Tech + [35]Science * (BUTTON) Opinion + [36]The Guardian view + [37]Columnists + [38]Letters + [39]Opinion videos + [40]Cartoons * (BUTTON) Sport + [41]Soccer + [42]NFL + [43]Tennis + [44]MLB + [45]MLS + [46]NBA + [47]NHL * (BUTTON) Culture + [48]Film + [49]Books + [50]Music + [51]Art & design + [52]TV & radio + [53]Stage + [54]Classical + [55]Games * (BUTTON) Lifestyle + [56]Fashion + [57]Food + [58]Recipes + [59]Love & sex + [60]Home & garden + [61]Health & fitness + [62]Family + [63]Travel + [64]Money ____________________ What term do you want to search? (BUTTON) Search with google * [65]Make a contribution * [66]Subscribe * (BUTTON) US edition + [67]switch to the UK edition + [68]switch to the Australia edition + [69]switch to the International edition * [70]Search jobs * [71]Digital Archive * [72]Coupons * [73]The Guardian app * [74]Video * [75]Podcasts * [76]Pictures * [77]Newsletters * [78]Inside the Guardian * [79]Guardian Weekly * [80]Crosswords * [81]Facebook * [82]Twitter * [83]Search jobs * [84]Digital Archive * [85]Coupons * [86]World * [87]Europe * [88]US * [89]Americas * [90]Asia * [91]Australia * [92]Middle East * [93]Africa * [94]Inequality * [95]Cities * [96]Global development (BUTTON) More [97]Ireland Ghost ship washes ashore in Ireland after more than a year at sea Public warned away from MV Alta, which ran aground on Cork coast during Storm Dennis [98]Rory Carroll Ireland correspondent [99]@rorycarroll72 Mon 17 Feb 2020 07.52 EST Last modified on Mon 17 Feb 2020 08.07 EST * [100]Share on Facebook * [101]Share on Twitter * [102]Share via Email Play Video 0:36 Abandoned cargo ship washes up on Irish coast during Storm Dennis – video Abandoned by its crew, the cargo vessel made a lonely odyssey across the Atlantic, a ghost ship seemingly destined never to make port. The 77-metre MV Alta drifted for over a year, skirting the Americas, Africa and [103]Europe, rusting and derelict yet resolutely afloat. Its voyage came to an end during Storm Dennis on Sunday when it ran aground near Ballycotton, a fishing village in County Cork, [104]Ireland, overlooking the Celtic Sea. The Alta wedged itself on to rocks, apparently intact. On Monday experts from the local council, the Irish coastguard and Ireland’s commissioner of wrecks were discussing what to do with a visitor that was drawing lots of attention. “Cork county council is asking members of the public to stay away from the wreck location as it is situated on a dangerous and inaccessible stretch of coastline and is in an unstable condition,” the council said in a [105]statement. A coastguard team has assessed the Alta from a helicopter. With [106]Storm Dennis having passed, a separate team was due to inspect the ship from the rocks. It is not believed to pose an immediate oil spill risk. Built in 1976, the Alta was flagged in Tanzania, changed owner in 2017 and was sailing from Greece to Haiti in September 2018 when it become disabled about 1,380 miles (2,220km) south-east of Bermuda. Unable to make repairs, the 10-strong crew was rescued by the US coastguard cutter Confidence, which brought the crew members to Puerto Rico. According to[107] gCaptain, a maritime industry news site, the US coastguard contacted the ship’s owner to arrange a commercial tug to tow it to shore. It was reportedly towed to Guyana only to be hijacked, with its subsequent fate unclear until August 2019 when a Royal Navy ice patrol ship, HMS Protector, encountered it in the mid-Atlantic, apparently unmanned. HMS Protector (@hmsprotector) Two days ago [108]@hmsprotector discovered this apparently abandoned Merchant Vessel whilst mid-Atlantic. We closed the vessel to make contact and offer our assistance, but no one replied! Whilst investigations continue we’re unable to give you more detail on this strange event.🌊🚢🇬🇧 [109]pic.twitter.com/x29sB5IF06 [110]September 2, 2019 It is thought to have later drifted up from Africa and past Spain to [111]Ireland. In ocean lore, the story of the ghost ship the Flying Dutchman is a myth dating from the 1700s. The [112]Mary Celeste, in contrast, was real: it was found abandoned, heading for the strait of Gibraltar in 1872, the crew’s fate a mystery. More recently, in 2006 the tanker Jian Seng was found off the coast of Queensland, Australia, without a crew, the identity of its owner and its origins unclear. In 2016 a wooden houseboat washed ashore on Ireland’s Atlantic coast. Made with driftwood and polystyrene and fitted with solar panels, it turned out to have been [113]built by Rick Small, a Canadian environmentalist who had given the boat away and had no idea how it ended up crossing the ocean unmanned. Topics * [114]Ireland * [115]Water transport * [116]Europe * [117]news * [118]Share on Facebook * [119]Share on Twitter * [120]Share via Email * [121]Share on LinkedIn * [122]Share on Pinterest * [123]Share on WhatsApp * [124]Share on Messenger * [125]Reuse this content more on this story * [126]Storm Dennis floods: how bad are they and what is being done? There are questions over capability of flood defences and how money is being spent Published: 17 Feb 2020 [127]Storm Dennis floods: how bad are they and what is being done? * [128]'We're playing to the world': Galway's European capital of culture year kicks off Galway 2020 promises everything from Margaret Atwood to art with local asylum-seekers. Its organisers and artists talk about building bridges and creating a lasting legacy for Irish artists Published: 12 Feb 2020 [129]'We're playing to the world': Galway's European capital of culture year kicks off * [130]Storm Dennis: hopes fade for woman missing in Midlands Police say rescue operation has become recovery mission, as 230 flood alerts remain in UK Published: 17 Feb 2020 [131]Storm Dennis: hopes fade for woman missing in Midlands * [132]'Refugees Welcome': Bohemians team up with Amnesty for new away kit The Dublin team have come together with the organisation to highlight the tough living conditions facing many refugees under Ireland’s Direct Provision system Published: 12 Feb 2020 [133]'Refugees Welcome': Bohemians team up with Amnesty for new away kit * + [134]Boris Johnson will not visit areas of UK hit by flooding, says No 10 Published: 17 Feb 2020 [135]Boris Johnson will not visit areas of UK hit by flooding, says No 10 + [136]'Like a bad romcom': couple run against each other in Irish election Published: 27 Jan 2020 [137]'Like a bad romcom': couple run against each other in Irish election + [138]Storm Dennis: cars swept away by flooding in Wales – video 0:57 Published: 17 Feb 2020 [139]Storm Dennis: cars swept away by flooding in Wales – video + [140]Irish parties under pressure to consider Sinn Féin coalition Published: 27 Jan 2020 [141]Irish parties under pressure to consider Sinn Féin coalition (BUTTON) More more on this story [142]Most popular * [143]World * [144]Europe * [145]US * [146]Americas * [147]Asia * [148]Australia * [149]Middle East * [150]Africa * [151]Inequality * [152]Cities * [153]Global development * [154]News * [155]Opinion * [156]Sport * [157]Culture * [158]Lifestyle IFRAME: [159]/email/form/footer/today-us + [160]About us + [161]Contact us + [162]Complaints & corrections + [163]SecureDrop + [164]Work for us + [165]Privacy policy + [166]Cookie policy + [167]Terms & conditions + [168]Help + [169]All topics + [170]All writers + [171]Digital newspaper archive + [172]Facebook + [173]Twitter + [174]Advertise with us + [175]Guardian Labs + [176]Search jobs + [177]Dating + [178]Discount Codes Support The Guardian Available for everyone, funded by readers [179]Contribute [180]Subscribe [181]Back to top © 2020 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. (BUTTON) Close References Visible links 1. https://plus.google.com/113000071431138202574 2. ios-app://409128287/gnmguardian/world/2020/feb/17/ghost-ship-mv-alta-washes-ashore-ireland-year-sea-storm-dennis?contenttype=Article&source=google 3. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/feb/17/ghost-ship-mv-alta-washes-ashore-ireland-year-sea-storm-dennis#maincontent 4. https://www.theguardian.com/us 5. https://support.theguardian.com/contribute?INTCMP=header_support_contribute&acquisitionData={"componentType":"ACQUISITIONS_HEADER","componentId":"header_support_contribute","source":"GUARDIAN_WEB"} 6. https://support.theguardian.com/subscribe?INTCMP=header_support_subscribe&acquisitionData={"componentType":"ACQUISITIONS_HEADER","componentId":"header_support_subscribe","source":"GUARDIAN_WEB"} 7. https://support.theguardian.com/contribute?INTCMP=header_support_contribute&acquisitionData={"componentType":"ACQUISITIONS_HEADER","componentId":"header_support_contribute","source":"GUARDIAN_WEB"} 8. https://jobs.theguardian.com/?INTCMP=jobs_us_web_newheader 9. https://profile.theguardian.com/signin?INTCMP=DOTCOM_NEWHEADER_SIGNIN 10. https://profile.theguardian.com/public/edit 11. https://profile.theguardian.com/account/edit 12. https://profile.theguardian.com/email-prefs 13. https://manage.theguardian.com/membership 14. https://manage.theguardian.com/contributions 15. https://manage.theguardian.com/subscriptions 16. https://profile.theguardian.com/signout 17. https://www.google.co.uk/advanced_search?q=site:www.theguardian.com 18. https://www.theguardian.com/preference/edition/us 19. https://www.theguardian.com/preference/edition/uk 20. https://www.theguardian.com/preference/edition/au 21. https://www.theguardian.com/preference/edition/int 22. https://www.theguardian.com/us 23. https://www.theguardian.com/us/commentisfree 24. https://www.theguardian.com/us/sport 25. https://www.theguardian.com/us/culture 26. https://www.theguardian.com/us/lifeandstyle 27. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news 28. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/us-elections-2020 29. https://www.theguardian.com/world 30. https://www.theguardian.com/us/environment 31. https://www.theguardian.com/football 32. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/us-politics 33. https://www.theguardian.com/us/business 34. https://www.theguardian.com/us/technology 35. https://www.theguardian.com/science 36. https://www.theguardian.com/profile/editorial 37. https://www.theguardian.com/index/contributors 38. https://www.theguardian.com/tone/letters 39. https://www.theguardian.com/type/video+tone/comment 40. https://www.theguardian.com/cartoons/archive 41. https://www.theguardian.com/football 42. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/nfl 43. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/tennis 44. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/mlb 45. https://www.theguardian.com/football/mls 46. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/nba 47. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/nhl 48. https://www.theguardian.com/us/film 49. https://www.theguardian.com/books 50. https://www.theguardian.com/music 51. https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign 52. https://www.theguardian.com/us/tv-and-radio 53. https://www.theguardian.com/stage 54. https://www.theguardian.com/music/classicalmusicandopera 55. https://www.theguardian.com/games 56. https://www.theguardian.com/fashion 57. https://www.theguardian.com/food 58. https://www.theguardian.com/tone/recipes 59. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/love-and-sex 60. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/home-and-garden 61. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/health-and-wellbeing 62. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/family 63. https://www.theguardian.com/us/travel 64. https://www.theguardian.com/us/money 65. https://support.theguardian.com/contribute?INTCMP=side_menu_support_contribute&acquisitionData={"componentType":"ACQUISITIONS_HEADER","componentId":"side_menu_support_contribute","source":"GUARDIAN_WEB"} 66. https://support.theguardian.com/subscribe?INTCMP=side_menu_support_subscribe&acquisitionData={"componentType":"ACQUISITIONS_HEADER","componentId":"side_menu_support_subscribe","source":"GUARDIAN_WEB"} 67. https://www.theguardian.com/preference/edition/uk 68. https://www.theguardian.com/preference/edition/au 69. https://www.theguardian.com/preference/edition/int 70. https://jobs.theguardian.com/?INTCMP=jobs_us_web_newheader_dropdown 71. https://theguardian.newspapers.com/ 72. https://discountcode.theguardian.com/ 73. https://www.theguardian.com/mobile/2014/may/29/the-guardian-for-mobile-and-tablet 74. https://www.theguardian.com/video 75. https://www.theguardian.com/podcasts 76. https://www.theguardian.com/inpictures 77. https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters 78. https://www.theguardian.com/membership 79. https://www.theguardian.com/weekly?INTCMP=gdnwb_mawns_editorial_gweekly_GW_TopNav_US 80. https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords 81. https://www.facebook.com/theguardian 82. https://twitter.com/guardian 83. https://jobs.theguardian.com/?INTCMP=jobs_us_web_newheader_dropdown 84. https://theguardian.newspapers.com/ 85. https://discountcode.theguardian.com/ 86. https://www.theguardian.com/world 87. https://www.theguardian.com/world/europe-news 88. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news 89. https://www.theguardian.com/world/americas 90. https://www.theguardian.com/world/asia 91. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news 92. https://www.theguardian.com/world/middleeast 93. https://www.theguardian.com/world/africa 94. https://www.theguardian.com/inequality 95. https://www.theguardian.com/cities 96. https://www.theguardian.com/global-development 97. https://www.theguardian.com/world/ireland 98. https://www.theguardian.com/profile/rorycarroll 99. https://twitter.com/rorycarroll72 100. https://www.facebook.com/dialog/share?app_id=180444840287&href=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/feb/17/ghost-ship-mv-alta-washes-ashore-ireland-year-sea-storm-dennis?CMP=share_btn_fb 101. https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Ghost ship washes ashore in Ireland after more than a year at sea&url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/feb/17/ghost-ship-mv-alta-washes-ashore-ireland-year-sea-storm-dennis?CMP=share_btn_tw 102. mailto:?subject=Ghost ship washes ashore in Ireland after more than a year at sea&body=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/feb/17/ghost-ship-mv-alta-washes-ashore-ireland-year-sea-storm-dennis?CMP=share_btn_link 103. https://www.theguardian.com/world/europe-news 104. https://www.theguardian.com/world/ireland 105. https://www.corkcoco.ie/en/news/grounding-cargo-ship-ballycotton 106. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/feb/17/storm-dennis-woman-missing-midlands 107. https://gcaptain.com/coast-guard-rescues-10-from-disabled-cargo-ship-in-atlantic-ocean/ 108. https://twitter.com/hmsprotector?ref_src=twsrc^tfw 109. https://t.co/x29sB5IF06 110. https://twitter.com/hmsprotector/status/1168617101336166400?ref_src=twsrc^tfw 111. https://www.theguardian.com/world/ireland 112. https://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/feb/19/ghost-mary-celeste-valerie-martin-review 113. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/nov/30/mystery-solved-owner-of-boat-washed-up-in-ireland-found-in-canada-rick-small 114. https://www.theguardian.com/world/ireland 115. https://www.theguardian.com/world/water-transport 116. https://www.theguardian.com/world/europe-news 117. https://www.theguardian.com/tone/news 118. https://www.facebook.com/dialog/share?app_id=180444840287&href=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/feb/17/ghost-ship-mv-alta-washes-ashore-ireland-year-sea-storm-dennis?CMP=share_btn_fb 119. https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Ghost ship washes ashore in Ireland after more than a year at sea&url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/feb/17/ghost-ship-mv-alta-washes-ashore-ireland-year-sea-storm-dennis?CMP=share_btn_tw 120. mailto:?subject=Ghost ship washes ashore in Ireland after more than a year at sea&body=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/feb/17/ghost-ship-mv-alta-washes-ashore-ireland-year-sea-storm-dennis?CMP=share_btn_link 121. http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&title=Ghost ship washes ashore in Ireland after more than a year at sea&url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/feb/17/ghost-ship-mv-alta-washes-ashore-ireland-year-sea-storm-dennis 122. http://www.pinterest.com/pin/find/?url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/feb/17/ghost-ship-mv-alta-washes-ashore-ireland-year-sea-storm-dennis 123. whatsapp://send/?text="Ghost ship washes ashore in Ireland after more than a year at sea" https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/feb/17/ghost-ship-mv-alta-washes-ashore-ireland-year-sea-storm-dennis?CMP=share_btn_wa 124. fb-messenger://share/?link=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/feb/17/ghost-ship-mv-alta-washes-ashore-ireland-year-sea-storm-dennis?CMP=share_btn_me&app_id=180444840287 125. https://syndication.theguardian.com/automation/?url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/feb/17/ghost-ship-mv-alta-washes-ashore-ireland-year-sea-storm-dennis&type=article&internalpagecode=7110312 126. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/feb/17/storm-dennis-floods-everything-you-need-to-know 127. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/feb/17/storm-dennis-floods-everything-you-need-to-know 128. https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2020/feb/12/were-playing-to-the-world-galways-european-capital-of-culture-year-kicks-off 129. https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2020/feb/12/were-playing-to-the-world-galways-european-capital-of-culture-year-kicks-off 130. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/feb/17/storm-dennis-woman-missing-midlands 131. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/feb/17/storm-dennis-woman-missing-midlands 132. https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/feb/12/refugees-welcome-bohemian-fc-team-up-with-amnesty-for-new-away-kit 133. https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/feb/12/refugees-welcome-bohemian-fc-team-up-with-amnesty-for-new-away-kit 134. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/feb/17/storm-dennis-flood-defences-working-well-environment-secretary-says 135. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/feb/17/storm-dennis-flood-defences-working-well-environment-secretary-says 136. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jan/27/couple-run-against-each-other-in-irish-election-holly-cairns-cork 137. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jan/27/couple-run-against-each-other-in-irish-election-holly-cairns-cork 138. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/video/2020/feb/17/storm-dennis-cars-swept-away-by-flooding-in-wales-video 139. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/video/2020/feb/17/storm-dennis-cars-swept-away-by-flooding-in-wales-video 140. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jan/27/irish-parties-under-pressure-to-consider-sinn-fein-coalition 141. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jan/27/irish-parties-under-pressure-to-consider-sinn-fein-coalition 142. https://www.theguardian.com/most-read/world 143. https://www.theguardian.com/world 144. https://www.theguardian.com/world/europe-news 145. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news 146. https://www.theguardian.com/world/americas 147. https://www.theguardian.com/world/asia 148. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news 149. https://www.theguardian.com/world/middleeast 150. https://www.theguardian.com/world/africa 151. https://www.theguardian.com/inequality 152. https://www.theguardian.com/cities 153. https://www.theguardian.com/global-development 154. https://www.theguardian.com/us 155. https://www.theguardian.com/us/commentisfree 156. https://www.theguardian.com/us/sport 157. https://www.theguardian.com/us/culture 158. https://www.theguardian.com/us/lifeandstyle 159. https://www.theguardian.com/email/form/footer/today-us 160. https://www.theguardian.com/info/about-guardian-us 161. https://www.theguardian.com/info/about-guardian-us/contact 162. https://www.theguardian.com/info/complaints-and-corrections 163. https://www.theguardian.com/securedrop 164. https://workforus.theguardian.com/ 165. https://www.theguardian.com/info/privacy 166. https://www.theguardian.com/info/cookies 167. https://www.theguardian.com/help/terms-of-service 168. https://www.theguardian.com/help 169. https://www.theguardian.com/index/subjects/a 170. https://www.theguardian.com/index/contributors 171. https://theguardian.newspapers.com/ 172. https://www.facebook.com/theguardian 173. https://twitter.com/guardian 174. https://advertising.theguardian.com/us/advertising 175. https://www.theguardian.com/guardian-labs-us 176. https://jobs.theguardian.com/?INTCMP=NGW_FOOTER_US_GU_JOBS 177. https://soulmates.theguardian.com/?INTCMP=soulmates_us_web_footer 178. https://discountcode.theguardian.com/ 179. https://support.theguardian.com/contribute?INTCMP=footer_support_contribute&acquisitionData={"componentType":"ACQUISITIONS_FOOTER","componentId":"footer_support_contribute","source":"GUARDIAN_WEB"} 180. https://support.theguardian.com/subscribe?INTCMP=footer_support_subscribe&acquisitionData={"componentType":"ACQUISITIONS_FOOTER","componentId":"footer_support_subscribe","source":"GUARDIAN_WEB"} 181. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/feb/17/ghost-ship-mv-alta-washes-ashore-ireland-year-sea-storm-dennis#top Hidden links: 183. https://twitter.com/hmsprotector/status/1168617101336166400?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw