The Ulak SOS
A message carved into the earth, visible from space
Discovered in 1985 imagery
The discovery
In the course of the San Patrick investigation, an exhaustive study of the islet of Ulak was carried out using Google Earth and U.S. navigation tools. The aim was to locate the remains of the vessel where the 31 missing sailors perished.
“Recorrí la isla durante varios días, ampliando cada centímetro de la costa. Vi que había un histórico de fotografías del satélite, en concreto hay fotos de 1985, 2010, 2011, 2021 y 2024.
Recorrí las imágenes hacia atrás viendo las diferentes resoluciones de las tomas. Algunas ocultaban el naufragio por las sombras, nubes o el fuerte oleaje.
Cuando llegué a la de 1985 quedé perplejo al ver claramente, en el centro del islote, muy cerca del lugar del naufragio, la palabra SOS en fuerte relieve.”
— Juan José Gámiz Díez, investigador y familiar de desaparecido
“I went over the island for several days, zooming in on every centimetre of the coast. I found that there was a history of satellite photographs, specifically from 1985, 2010, 2011, 2021 and 2024.
I went backwards through the images, looking at the different resolutions of each shot. Some concealed the wreck under shadows, clouds or heavy seas.
When I reached the 1985 image, I was stunned to see, clearly, in the centre of the islet, very close to the wreck site, the word SOS in strong relief.”
— Juan José Gámiz Díez, researcher and relative of one of the missing
[Translation from the original Spanish]
Image analysis
Satellite imagery 1985
Coordinates: ~51°20′N 179°05′W
Position of the 1985 wreck site where the SOS can be seen
Source: Google Earth — historical imagery
Technical data
| Image date | December 31, 1985 |
|---|---|
| Location | Centre of the islet of Ulak, near the wreck site |
| Coordinates | 51°20′N 179°05′W (transmitted position; actual wreck site at 51°18.7′N 178°57.8′W per USCG) |
| Features | The letters “SOS” in strong relief on the ground |
| Visibility | Clear in the 1985 image, less visible in later ones |
Available images
The questions it raises
“If the SOS visible on the islet is genuine and not the product of a visual confusion, we would be facing the abandonment of possible survivors.”
If the SOS is genuine, there were several survivors.
Who made the SOS?
Creating letters visible from space requires several people working for a considerable amount of time. Were there survivors of the wreck who remained on the islet?
When was it made?
The image is from 1985, but the SOS could have been created at any time between 1964 (the wreck) and that date. How long did they survive?
Why were they not rescued?
The US Coast Guard declared everyone dead on December 20, 1964. Why was no rescue team sent to inspect the islet?
Connected to the denial of access?
The United States denied the families access to the area. Was this related to possible survivors or to the nuclear activities at Amchitka?
What was the light of December 25?
The tug MINARES reported a light shining on the horizon on Christmas Day 1964. Were these survivors signalling?
Is it pareidolia?
Could the SOS be a natural formation or an optical illusion? The image analysis suggests that the letters have an artificial relief.
The islet of Ulak
Geographical features
| Location | Delarof Islands, Aleutian Islands, Alaska |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 51°20′N 179°05′W (transmitted position; actual wreck site at 51°18.7′N 178°57.8′W per USCG) |
| Distance to Adak | ~150 km |
| Distance to Amchitka | ~100 km |
| Climate | Maritime subarctic, frequent storms |
| Vegetation | Maritime tundra, grasses, lichens |
| Population | Uninhabited |
Wreck site: Hasgar Point
The San Patrick ran aground on the rocks of Hasgar Point, on the coast of the islet. According to the US Coast Guard report, the vessel lay “pinned among the jagged rocks”.
Ulak Island
Delarof Islands
Location of Ulak in the Aleutian Islands
Evidence of an attempt at survival
The US Coast Guard report of December 1964 documents several findings that prove that the crew tried to reach land:
Line to shore
A line laid out 200 yards inland, firmly secured, running over a 100-ft cliff.
→ The crew tried to establish an escape route from the ship.
Line-throwing gun recovered
An emergency line-throwing gun (shotline missile) was recovered from among the wreckage.
→ They used emergency equipment to lay the line.
Bodies on shore
Three bodies stripped of clothing and covered in grease were sighted on the islet.
→ At least three people reached land (alive or dead).
The mysterious light
On December 25, the tug MINARES reported a light shining on the horizon.
→ Survivors signalling 8 days later?
The question that remains:
If the crew managed to run a 200-yard line to shore, and at least three people reached the islet...
Why was it assumed there were no survivors without sending a rescue team ashore?
The families’ long-held doubt
“La duda sobre el rescate siempre permaneció en los familiares de los desaparecidos. La negativa USA a permitir el acceso a la zona de una delegación familiar fue el detonante de la desconfianza en la buena voluntad de los rescatadores.”
“The doubt about the rescue always remained with the families of the missing. The U.S. refusal to allow a family delegation access to the area was the trigger for the distrust in the goodwill of the rescuers.”
[Translation from the original Spanish — testimony of the families]
“A día de hoy sigue sin comprenderse que no se recuperaran los cadáveres avistados, que no se acercara a la zona un equipo de salvamento para revisar el interior del buque y las inmediaciones en busca de supervivientes.”
“To this day, it remains beyond understanding that the sighted bodies were not recovered, that no salvage team approached the area to inspect the interior of the vessel and its surroundings in search of survivors.”
[Translation from the original Spanish — testimony of the families]
Attempts to obtain information
Two attempts have been made to communicate with US Coast Guard District 17 to request a copy of the rescue reports, without receiving any response.
How to verify the SOS
Steps to view the SOS on Google Earth:
-
Open Google Earth
Go to earth.google.com or use the desktop application.
-
Enter the coordinates
Type:
51.32019949, -178.981273or search for “Ulak Island, Alaska”. -
Enable historical imagery
Click the clock icon (Historical Imagery) in the toolbar.
-
Select 1985-12-31
Use the time slider to go to the image of December 31, 1985.
-
Zoom into the centre of the islet
Look for the SOS letters in relief near the wreck site.
Collaborate in the investigation
If any reader believes they can contribute an idea to this matter, please get in touch:
We are looking for:
- Experts in satellite image analysis
- Historians with access to military archives from the period
- US Coast Guard personnel who took part in the 1964 operations
- Any document or testimony related to the wreck