The Vanishing of USS Scorpion: A Deep-Sea Mystery

The USS Scorpion (SSN-589) was a nuclear-powered submarine in the U.S. Navy that mysteriously sank in the Atlantic Ocean in 1968 during the Cold War. The submarine, along with its 99 crew members, disappeared on May 22 while returning to Norfolk, Virginia, from a Mediterranean deployment. Despite initial communication suggesting the vessel was operating normally, it failed to return home.

A massive search ensued, and five months later, the Navy located the wreckage about 400 miles southwest of the Azores at a depth of around 9,800 feet. The cause of the sinking remains unclear, though theories range from a torpedo malfunction, mechanical failure, or possibly an accident related to the submarine's nuclear reactor.

To this day, the exact circumstances behind the USS Scorpion’s loss remain a mystery, though some investigations and reports speculate that an internal issue—rather than external attacks—caused the tragic incident.