Sandy Island: The Mysterious Case Of 'Phantom' Island That 'Disappeared' On Google Maps In 2012

In addition to the convenience it provides when it comes to navigation, Google Maps is also a source of bizarre, never-seen-before stuff. Every now and then, people come across something peculiar that generates debate.

And this intriguing tale of a 'phantom island' sure is one of the most baffling finds on Google Maps. A mystery island that appears and disappears on Google Maps.

Google Maps

A strange strip of land, known as Sandy Island, has been charted since 1774 as being located in New Caledonia in the South Pacific. But it has remained an enigma for many years.

The island was included on many maps, including Google, for at least a decade. However, a dark blob appeared on Google Earth, seemingly different to nearby islands.

Sandy Island became a subject of intrigue and in 2012, scientists headed to the area to find for themselves if there was any such island. To their surprise, they found nothing but blue waves of the sea.

The Australian scientists on the R/V Southern Surveyor ¡°undiscovered¡± the island, finding nothing but the sea,

Scientists headed to the area and recorded ocean depths to be more than 4,300 feet, suggesting there was no chance of anything lurking beneath the water that would previously have been visible.

"We wanted to check it out because the navigation charts on board the ship showed a water depth of 1,400 metres (4,620 feet) in that area ¨C very deep. It's on Google Earth and other maps so we went to check and there was no island," Maria Seton, of the University of Sydney, told AFP:

Google Maps

"We're really puzzled, it's quite bizarre. How did it find its way onto the maps? We just don't know," Maria added.

There is no official explanation as to why several sightings of Sandy Island have been seen over the years, but many experts believe that the island may have been the floating remains of a submerged volcano or coastal subaerial eruption.

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