What is documented
The Hesperus found the lighthouse empty on 26 December 1900. The Lighthouse Board publishes the telegram, relief keeper's letter and inquiry report.
ARTISTIC ARCHIVE
1900-12Open
Flannan Isles lighthouse
Three lighthouse keepers disappeared. The official explanation is an unexpected wave near the west landing.
All cases ↗What it explains
Damage at the landing and evidence of heavy seas support the investigator's large-wave explanation.
What remains open
There was no direct witness to their last moments; the conclusion remains a reconstruction.
PROVENANCE / SOURCE
Sources
Northern Lighthouse Board: original inquiry and correspondence ↗Change log
2026-09-30 — Record published with a source and stated limits.