A Diver Explored the Waters Around Alcatraz — And What Was Found Shocked The World! | HO!!!!

San Francisco, CA — The waters surrounding Alcatraz Island have always been a place of legend. Cold, dark, and unforgiving, they have swallowed secrets for centuries—most famously, those of the men who staged the greatest escape in American prison history. But on June 4, 2025, a routine hydrographic survey in San Francisco Bay shattered assumptions and reignited one of the world’s longest-running mysteries. A diver, working alongside a team of US Geological Survey specialists, made a discovery that stunned experts and the public alike: a hidden safe buried beneath the bay, just west of Alcatraz’s historic dock.

This is the story of how a chance sonar signal led to an investigation that could rewrite the history of “The Rock,” and possibly reveal new clues about the infamous 1962 escape of Frank Morris and the Anglin brothers.

The Discovery Beneath the Waves

The day began as any other for the USGS crew. Their task: mapping sediment patterns for a climate resilience project. Using high-frequency sonar between Angel Island and Alcatraz, they scanned the bay’s floor for erosion data. But as the vessel passed near the prison’s southern edge, the equipment returned an anomaly—a rectangular object, dense and sharply defined, nestled in a shallow depression. Initial speculation suggested it was scrap metal from a pier or ferry wreck, common in these busy waters.

But advanced magnetometer and LiDAR imaging soon revealed geometric lines and reinforced steel bands—features of an industrial safe, not a random hunk of debris. Measuring thirty inches wide, twenty-four inches tall, and eighteen inches deep, the safe was encrusted with barnacles and corrosion, but had no manufacturer’s markings or signs of having broken away from a larger structure. Its location—300 yards west of the prison—made accidental loss during routine activity unlikely.

No records existed of a safe or similar cargo being lost in the area. For two days, the discovery was kept quiet, as federal agencies and even the FBI took an interest. Divers carefully retrieved the safe, transferring it to a secure National Park Service facility.

What Was Inside: A Time Capsule From the Past

Opening the safe was a slow, meticulous process. Heavy corrosion meant experts used non-destructive techniques, wary of damaging anything inside. When it finally yielded, the contents were astonishing: a weathered canvas bag, military or postal issue from the 1950s, containing bundles of waterlogged but readable US currency. The bills, dated between 1955 and 1961, totaled nearly $1,800—a significant sum for the era.

There were no reports of theft matching the money, raising immediate questions. But the surprises continued. Two faded Polaroid-style photographs showed three men beside a 1950s Ford Fairlane, with no visible license plates. While speculation ran wild that these could be the escapees—Frank Morris and the Anglin brothers—no confirmation was possible.

The most intriguing item was a sealed mason jar containing rolled papers. Once unrolled, they revealed hand-drawn maps of San Francisco’s stormwater tunnels, annotated with handwritten notes. The implication was clear: whoever placed the safe had intimate knowledge of the city’s infrastructure, and possibly a plan for covert movement after leaving Alcatraz.

The Connection to Alcatraz’s Greatest Mystery

When news broke, all eyes turned to the legendary 1962 escape. Frank Morris and John and Clarence Anglin had spent months tunneling through their cells, crafting life vests and a raft from stolen raincoats, and using dummy heads to fool guards. On June 11, 1962, they vanished into the night, never to be seen again. The official story held that they drowned in the bay’s icy waters, but over the decades, tidal studies and tantalizing clues have kept hope alive.

The safe’s location—directly in the tidal corridor that could have carried the escapees to freedom—added fuel to the fire. Retired FBI profiler Joel Marovich noted that if the safe was part of their plan, it was hidden where only someone with inside knowledge would look, yet accessible during low tide. The lack of any confirmed belongings from the escapees, apart from a fragment of a life preserver, has always frustrated investigators. Could this safe be the missing link?

The Escape That Defied “The Rock”

Alcatraz was built to be inescapable. Its reputation was forged by the harsh conditions, relentless security, and the icy, fast-moving waters that surrounded it. Frank Morris, with a history of escapes and a reputation for intelligence, was the mastermind. The Anglin brothers, raised in poverty and hardened by experience, were fiercely loyal and resourceful.

Their plan was meticulous. Using stolen spoons and saw blades, they chipped away at concrete softened by sea air. They disguised their progress with painted cardboard, drowned out the noise with Morris’s accordion, and built a raft and life vests from raincoats. Dummy heads made from soap and paint bought them precious hours before the alarm was raised.

On the night of June 11, 1962, they slipped through holes behind their sinks into a utility corridor, climbed to the roof, and made their way to the shore. Fog masked their movements as they launched their raft into the frigid bay. By morning, the guards discovered their absence, triggering a massive search that found only a paddle, some belongings, and pieces of the raft. No bodies, no confirmed sightings.

The official conclusion: they drowned. But tidal simulations in 2014 suggested otherwise. If they timed their escape with the tides, they could have reached Angel Island or the Marin Headlands. The safe’s location fits this scenario perfectly.

Alan West: The Escapee Who Stayed Behind

The plan included a fourth man: Allen West. His cell wall proved just a fraction too narrow, and he was forced to stay behind. West later cooperated with authorities, revealing the details of the escape plan and the intended route to Angel Island. Some theorize that Morris and the Anglins changed their route after realizing West might talk, but no evidence supports this. West’s story adds depth to the mystery—a reminder of how close the plan came to including one more man.

Theories: Was the Safe Part of the Escape?

The contents of the safe—money, maps, photos—suggest preparation and purpose. If connected to the escapees, it implies either outside help or a plan to return for the cache. But no record exists of anyone trying to retrieve it. For decades, it lay hidden, waiting for discovery.

There are other possibilities. The safe could have belonged to prison staff, lost in an accident or deliberately hidden. Maps of stormwater tunnels might have been maintenance records or secret plans. San Francisco Bay has a long history of smuggling and organized crime; perhaps the safe was linked to such activities, caught forever in the tides.

Marine experts note that the safe’s burial suggests it had been underwater for at least fifty years, placing its submersion within a decade of the escape. Its position in a known tidal drift corridor supports theories that it traveled before settling.

Forensic Investigation: Science Meets Legend

The FBI and National Park Service are now investigating. Forensic teams are analyzing the currency, paper fibers, ink, and metal corrosion. Photographs are being scrutinized for background clues. Even the faintest fingerprint or smudge could shift the investigation. The maps are being compared to historical city plans, looking for markings not available to the public in the 1960s.

Independent divers have begun searching the area for other objects—tools, clothing, or containers that might have been discarded or hidden. So far, no one has claimed the safe or admitted knowledge of its placement.

Why The Mystery Endures

The Alcatraz escape is more than a historical footnote; it’s a living legend. It speaks to the nerve, precision, and determination of three men who challenged the boundaries of what was thought possible. The safe is a tangible artifact, not hearsay or rumor, and it demands explanation.

Modern forensic science may soon provide answers impossible to obtain decades ago. If the materials match the time frame of the escape, it could radically alter our understanding of that night. It may not prove survival, but it could make it far more plausible.

Conclusion: A Discovery That Changes Everything

The hidden safe beneath the waters of Alcatraz has stirred the world’s imagination. Whether it is the missing link in the greatest prison escape in history or a relic of some other secret chapter, its discovery challenges the finality of the official account. If three men truly made it past the guards, across the water, and into a life of anonymity, then the boundaries of possibility shift.

As forensic teams analyze every detail and independent divers scour the bay for more clues, one thing is clear: the mystery of Alcatraz endures. The waters may never yield all their secrets, but this safe has brought us closer than ever before to answering the question that has lingered for over sixty years—did Frank Morris and the Anglin brothers escape “The Rock” and survive?

For now, the world waits, watching as science and history converge beneath the waves.