The Caleuche, the Ghost Ship of Chiloé
Fishermen off Chiloé tell of a glowing ship full of music that vanishes as you approach.
What was reported
The Caleuche is a phantom ship from the folklore of Chiloé, an archipelago in southern Chile. It's said to sail on foggy nights, brightly lit and full of music and laughter like a party at sea, before vanishing or sinking beneath the waves.
Its crew are said to be the drowned, or sorcerers, and fishermen who see it are advised to look away. Some say merchants who grew rich suddenly had struck a deal with its crew.
Explanations offered
Folklorists see the Caleuche as part of Chiloé's rich tradition of sea stories, a way of explaining the losses of a fishing community and warning about the sea. Phantom ships appear in sailors' legends worldwide, and lights on fog banks or mirages may lie behind some sightings.
- When
- Told in Chilote folklore
- Where
- Chiloé Archipelago, Los Lagos, Chile
- Witnesses
- Fishermen of Chiloé
- Status
- Legend
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.