SS Ourang Medan

Hazardous materials

One of the simplest explanation to the story is that SS Ourang Medan could have been used to transport hazardous materials, like a combination of potassium cyanide and nitroglycerin. According to this theory sea water would have entered the ship’s hold, reacting with the cargo to release toxic gases, which then caused the crew to succumb to asphyxia and poisoning. Later, the sea water would have reacted with the nitroglycerin, causing the reported fire and explosion.

Facts that are supporting the theory:

• after the war the waters in Southeast Asia were not under the strict control from any of the former colonial empires, which means they could have been full of ships with questionable cargoes,
  
• despite being under Dutch flag the ship could have been used to smuggling illegal or hazardous materials,
  
• the gas poisoning could have cause the crew and the dog to die without any injuries.
  

Facts that oppose the theory:

• if the whole crew was dead (and most likely killed in short time) how come the radio operator was not affected as the others and still was able to send logical and detailed message in Morse code most probably in foreign language?
  

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