Mary Celeste was a British merchant brigantine. The ship is famous for having been discovered on 5 December 1872 in the Atlantic Ocean, unmanned and apparently abandoned (the one lifeboat was missing, along with its crew of eight and two passengers), although the weather was fine and her crew were experienced and capable seamen. In fictional accounts related to the ship, she is referred to as Marie Celeste, first by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and later, by others.