Maria Rickmers

A five-masted aux. steel barque built in 1891 by Russell & Co., Port Glasgow. Her dimensions were: 114,47×14,63×7,72 m [375'7"×48'0"×25'4"] and tonnage: 3822 GRT and 3344 NRT. Three-island ship, rigged with sky-sails and royal-sails over double topgallant- and top-sails.

A picture follows of the bowsprit and foremast

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d1/Maria_Rickmers_-_SLV_H99.220-3354.jpg

1891 December 18: Launched at the shipyard of Russell & Co., Port Glasgow, for Rickmers Reismühlen, Rhederei und Schiffbau AG, Bremerhaven. Assigned the German signal QFPC. The first master of the ship was Captain J. Gennerich.
1892 July 14: Left Saigon for Bremerhaven with a load of rice. After the death of Captain Gennerich the command had been resumed by the First Mate Wiethoff.
1892 July 24: Last seen after having passed the Sunda Strait

Vanishing Questions

The facts are she set sail from Saigon for Bremen on July 15th 1892. She was sighted a few days later 300 miles west of the Azores. After that, no trace was found of her! What could have happened, no sail, body or boat was ever found. She lies somewhere in the Atlantic with all hands, no one knows where. Come up with a theory of your own.