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Diver reveals truth about mysterious island that's hollow and blacked out on Google Maps
A tiny island in the middle of the Pacific has left Google Maps users puzzled after appearing to have an inexplicably huge black hole in its center.
At first glance, the peculiar image looks almost as though someone has deliberately censored part of the island, with the surrounding water clearly visible and waves appearing around the shoreline, yet the middle of the tiny landmass looks dramatically darker than the area around it.
Understandably, it has led some internet users to wonder whether there could be something unusual hiding in the middle of the remote location, prompting conspiracy theorists to deliberate over what it could be, from secret military bases to even more sinister explanations.
Experts revealed what is actually on the island
It was later revealed that the little islet was actually Vostok Island, an uninhabited piece of land belonging to the Republic of Kiribati, and despite its bizarre appearance on Google Maps, someone has actually explored its surrounding waters.
More than a decade ago, National Geographic journalists visited the remote area as part of an expedition exploring its marine ecosystem, with diver Enric Sala returning from a dive around the island stunned by what he had found.
“Well, we just came back from a dive on Vostok Island,” Sala said. “I just did the very best dive of my life.”
“There were [indistinct] sharks around us, schools of jags, barracuda and surgeon fish, everything!” Sala added.
“Incredible! Really unbelievable. This is the most pristine place we have dived so far. We have found it, this is it. Vostok Island. I cannot wait for tomorrow to get back in the water.”
Social media voices conspiracy theories
So, while Google Maps might make the island look like an unexplained anomaly, Sala's account suggests there is something far more natural going on beneath the weird, and apparently inexplicable satellite imagery.
Nevertheless, the island's odd appearance continues to fuel online conspiracy theories, with some users claiming Google intentionally censored the center.
Other users pointed to a far more plausible explanation: the center is simply covered in dense forest.