MA-068

**>> Entity:** MA-068: "Royal *Exeter*"

**>> Status:** Active

**>> Mortality Class:** Yellow
 **>> Location:** Java Sea, Indonesia

**MA-068,** affectionally referred to as **Royal** **Exeter**, is an apparition resembling a British heavy cruiser that was sunk during the Dutch East Islands Campaign in 1942. The apparition is one of many ghost ships inhabiting the Java Sea. MA-068 is notable for being the most reported apparition in the area and the first ghost ship in said area to be discovered.

## Description

  **HMS *Exeter* in Sumatra, circa 1942.** MA-068 resembles the York-class heavy cruiser *Exeter*, notable for participating in the Battle of the River Plate. The cruiser has various holes by shell damage covering the armor belt and upper hull. In addition, two large holes can be seen on the starboard side below the water line. Due to this damage, MA-068 is always seen listing at around 15° degrees starboard.

Oftentimes, ghostly crewman can be seen wandering the main deck. Many of the men were reported to have various injuries, such as gunshot wounds, shell wounds, and missing appendages. However, these injuries don't seem to hinder the men's ability to perform their duties. Many of these men were identified as sailors who have died during the Battle of the Java Sea when HMS *Exeter* sunk.

## Behavior

The apparition has often been reported communicating with other ships by radio, usually those operated by the Indonesian Navy. These radio messages often consist of references about the Battle of the Java Sea, references to the Japanese destroyer *Inazuma*, and general requests for backup. These messages will often result in a ship communicating with the apparition for various periods on time depending on the topic. At the end of these conversations, the cruiser would sign off with various concluding phrases. Those who have direct eyesight of MA-068 at that moment would report the ship "vanishing into thin air" after the message.

The ghostly crewmen onboard the apparition have been seen maintaining the cruiser into working condition. The maintenance is implied to be practical as the crew leave the damage mentioned in the previous section as it is. Aside that, the crewman has been seen saluting towards passing ships and other apparitions of ghost ships, a common attribute with many ghost sailors.

Recently, MA-068 has displayed hostility towards salvaging vessels. Reports of her hostility confirm that the cruiser would fire her armaments towards the ships, often damaging or even sinking them in the process. A common theory in this new change in behavior is that it is a response of *Exeter's* wreck being destroyed by illegal salvagers. This behavior has also been reported in other apparitions in the Java Sea.

## History

  **KRI *Pasopati*, the submarine that discovered MA-068.**
### Discovery - 1967

MA-068 was first contacted by KRI *Pasopati* (410), on 1 March 1967. The submarine was conducting training exercises in the Java Sea when she detected an unknown ship in her radar. Once *Pasopati* arrived at the coordinates and surfaced from the water. The crew were reported to have been stunned by the sight of the heavy cruiser listing starboard.

For several minutes, *Pasopati* communicated with Royal Exeter as the former ordered backup from the Indonesian Navy to assess the situation. However, before backup could arrive, the crew onboard *Pasopati* witnessed the cruiser dissipate into thin air.

The event prompted the Indonesian Navy to begin a search for the cruiser. The search lasted for weeks before it was eventually called off. It was around that time that the Society has received reports about the apparition. A search by the Society had confirmed identity of the cruiser a few months after her initial discovery.

### 1968 - 2014

During this period, the apparitions of *Houston, Perth, De Ruyter,* and other warships sunk in the Java Sea were being discovered with the combined efforts of the Indonesian Navy and the Society. Despite the new discoveries, MA-068 remained the most commonly reported apparition in the area.

Many sightings of MA-068 has been reported at that time. The most notable of which occurred on 27 July 2008. The frigate HMS *Kent* was hosting a memorial service for HMS *Exeter* when several sailors onboard the frigate reported a cruiser moving alongside the ship.

Like other reports beforehand, MA-068 communicated by radio to *Kent*. However, it also praised the frigate and its crew for remembering the events that happened at the Java Sea. In addition, it also pointed out the *Exeter* veterans that were onboard *Kent* at the time. Right before leaving, MA-068's bid a farewell to the *Kent* and its crew before disappearing.

### 2014 - Present Day

With the recent reports of illegal salvaging of shipwrecks in the area. Cases of salvaging vessels being damaged or sunk have surged in recent years. One such incident occurred in 2017 when the research and salvage tug USNS *Safeguard* found MA-068 aside a salvage vessel it had damaged. One witness said that "the scene reminded us of a cat giving a dead mouse to its owner."

Despite the number of incidents rising, the Society and Indonesian Navy has decided against interfering with the apparitions due to the risk of them attacking the two groups as well, and the increasing stigma towards the illegal salvagers.

## Footnotes

1. ↑ The Dutch East Islands Campaign was the Empire of Japan's conquest of the Dutch East Indies (modern-day Indonesia) between 1941 and 1942 during World War II.
2. ↑ Inazuma delivered the final blow to the cruiser by firing two torpedoes. In addition, she rescued 400 of *Exeter's* crewmen after the latter sank.

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