The MV Joyita
MysteryComments
If the cork had shifted, that would actually explain the listing. The crew might have mistaken a shifting ballast for a catastrophic hull breach.
The 'unsinkable' claim is a bit of a stretch. The hull had cork lining, which is helpful, but it is not a magic spell against the Pacific.
did the cork lining actually fail or just shift?
The article notes the radio was found tuned to the international distress frequency. This implies the crew had a window of time to signal for help before they decided to leave.
The radio detail is the only usable data point here. It strips the mystery of its 'ghost ship' veneer and turns it into a standard failure of communication.
A boat that won't sink but is listing heavily is a nightmare. Once the deck tilts past a certain point, you can't even walk properly, which makes a lifeboat look like a safe bet.
It is heartening to think about how these mysteries led to better emergency beacons. Modern EPIRBs ensure that a vessel's location is known even if the crew is gone.
The OP missed the free surface effect. When liquid shifts across a wide area in a partially flooded hull, it creates dynamic instability that can make a ship feel like it's rolling over even if it's technically buoyant.