On October 16, an image of what was claimed to be a 1700s ghost ship went viral on Facebook, sparking widespread intrigue. The Facebook page Casper Planet shared the photo, stating that the ancient vessel had washed ashore near St. Augustine, Florida, after Hurricane Milton. The post quickly gained traction, with many believing that a centuries-old ship had reemerged from the ocean depths due to the storm.
In its post, Casper Planet described the ship as a mysterious, long-lost merchant vessel from the 18th century. According to the page, the ship had surfaced from what they called the “underwater graveyard of shipwrecks” following Hurricane Milton’s violent churning of the Atlantic waters. The post further claimed that authorities had blocked the area to prevent the public from interacting with the fragile wreck.
The page even referenced a fictional marine archaeologist, Dr. Andrew Clarke, who allegedly commented on the ship’s appearance, calling it an “unprecedented” event. According to the post, Dr. Clarke remarked, “To see a ship this old, in such good condition, simply appear out of the ocean during a hurricane—it’s both fascinating and chilling.” Casper Planet
However, the truth behind this viral post was quickly debunked. Observant social media users pointed out that the image used in the post was actually from the second installment of the Pirates of the Caribbean movie series, Dead Man’s Chest. The ship in question was the fictional Flying Dutchman, a notorious ghost ship from the film franchise known for its supernatural elements.
The Casper Planet page, which has since been revealed as a satire account, had a bio that explicitly states it posts humorous and satirical content. The page humorously delivers what it calls “Snews”—satirical news that does not hold any real-world significance. In a follow-up screenshot, the page captured a conversation between the admin and a confused viewer who noticed that the ship was from the Pirates of the Caribbean film. The admin acknowledged that they were aware of the image’s origin but refused to change the caption to clarify, maintaining that their page is labeled as satire and encouraging people to “do their research.”
Despite the post’s rapid spread and the initial belief that it depicted a real event, it was quickly confirmed that the story was entirely fabricated. The supposed 1700s ghost ship did not wash ashore after Hurricane Milton, and no such event took place near St. Augustine or anywhere in Florida.
This viral incident serves as a reminder to carefully verify information before sharing it online, especially from satire pages that may blend humor with fabricated stories. While the ghost ship tale may have intrigued many, it is yet another example of how easily a fictional story can spread across social media.