Duane Roberts 
As vaping continues to gain popularity worldwide, some of its stories and controversies have also started to surface. One such mystery is the vanishing of the Mary Vape, a vessel that was heading to Madagascar from Durban, South Africa. The ship, which carried tons of vaping pods, cigarettes, and e-liquids that were worth over a million dollars, disappeared without any trace in 2019, leaving authorities, vaping enthusiasts, and the shipping industry baffled. This article will discuss the answers to the mystery of the lost mary, including possible suspects, theories, and scenarios.
The Mary Vape, a cargo ship that departed from the Port of Durban on the 22nd of August 2019, was set to dock in Toamasina, Madagascar, three days later. However, its crew stopped communicating with the vessel’s operator, the Singapore-based shipping firm Straits Orient Lines (SOL), after the ship had sailed from Durban. SOL then alerted the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in Durban, which launched extensive search and rescue operations to locate the missing vessel. However, despite the use of aircraft, coastal patrols, and satellite technology, the Mary Vape was nowhere to be found.
The disappearance of the ship had several theories, some of which were plausible, while others were far-fetched. One theory was that the Mary Vape might have been hijacked and taken to Somalia, where piracy was rampant. However, no ransom demands were ever made, and no sightings of the ship were recorded anywhere close to the Somalian coast. Another theory was that the vessel might have sunk due to unfavorable weather or mechanical failures. However, according to SOL, the ship was seaworthy and underwent all necessary inspections before setting sail.
On 3rd September 2019, over a week after the Mary Vape went missing, SOL informed its clients that the shipment of vaping products aboard the vessel was insured, and they would receive reimbursement for their losses. However, this revelation did not rule out the possibility of foul play, as some suspected that the ship’s disappearance might have been an inside job. Some suggested that the crew might have stolen or sold the ship’s cargo, or they themselves became victims of organized crime.
The mystery of the lost Mary Vape remained unsolved until early 2021 when some wreckage and debris from the ship were found off the coast of Madagascar. According to the country’s Navy, some pieces of metal, fuel drums, and plastic containers had washed up on a beach near the northwestern city of Mahajanga. The debris was later identified as part of the Mary Vape’s cargo that had been dispersed by the Indian Ocean’s currents. However, the cause of the ship’s disappearance, the reason for its wreckage, and the fate of its crew members remain unknown.
The disappearance of the Mary Vape remains a perplexing and unfortunate incident that serves as a cautionary tale for the shipping industry and the vaping community. Although the discovery of the ship’s debris has shed some light on the case, many questions remain unanswered. However, one thing is clear, that the fate of the Mary Vape and its crew will always remain a mystery and a reminder that unusual incidents can happen in any industry. Vaping enthusiasts must ensure they are aware of the products they use, the companies that sell them, and the risks associated with their shipments to avoid potential fraud, theft, or loss.