OUT in the endless grey of the Atlantic Ocean, a vessel drifts alone. The only sound in the dining room is the wind. The only smell in the galley is rust. The cabins that once held 100 passengers lie empty; there's not a soul aboard. Along the bow, a row of drip-stained letters spells its name: Lyubov Orlova.
The Orlova is a modern-day ghost ship. It disappeared on 4 February 2013, en route to the Dominican Republic, without power or crew. The loss triggered a global hunt involving coastguards hoping to find the ship before it ran ashore or struck an oil rig; the coordinators of a new satellite system with a point to prove; and even a team of would-be treasure seekers. Each had their own prize in mind: prevention of disaster, reputation and glory, or a salvage bounty worth a million dollars. How hard could it be?
In ...
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