The "Casino Ghost Ship" That Was Abandoned After a Deadly Lung Disease Was Found On Board

Photo byJam Press / @places_forgotten

A rusting ship, mysteriously abandoned off the Florida coast, has become a local legend. Known as the "Casino Ghost Ship," it's a place where rumors and reality mix, sparking curiosity and a little bit of fear.

Three years ago, a dangerous lung disease outbreak forced everyone off the ship.

Explorer Ben Stevens recently stepped aboard. "It was abandoned after a Legionnaires' disease outbreak," he told The Sun.

Photo byJam Press / @places_forgotten

This serious illness, often linked to water systems, added to the ship's bad reputation.

Locals say some people died in the outbreak and their ghosts haunt the ship.

"People say ghosts haunt the ship," Stevens said. These stories make many people afraid to go near it.

But for adventurers like Stevens, the unknown is exciting. Inside, he found a frozen moment in time.

A once-busy casino was silent, with slot machines dark and stacks of chips untouched. "It's like everyone disappeared while gambling," Stevens said.

While the ship's past is fascinating, conditions inside are terrible.

Mold and heat make it a difficult place to explore. Yet, Stevens was determined to uncover the ship's secrets.

Photo byJam Press / @places_forgotten

The abandonded ship is full of scenes that remind any explorers what the ship was once like. And the many trinkets, slot machines, and dusty chairs offer an almost museum like experience of a ship trapped in time.

Photo byJam Press / @places_forgotten

The dated slot machines point to a time and place where people tried to make their fortunes, but fortune was not on the side of this seemingly haunted vessel.