Diver explored what mysterious 'black hole' discovered in middle of ocean on Google Maps was

Social media users were left completely baffled when a 'black hole' was discovered on Google Maps.

We have to admit, the mysterious island does look rather strange, appearing completely hollow and quite literally like a huge, dark hole in the middle of the ocean.

After months of speculation over the location of the area, in November 2021 it was announced that the 'hole' is actually an uninhabited island called Vostok Island, belonging to the Republic of Kiribati, a country located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

Apparently, its dark appearance is down to the island's Pisonia trees which cover the area.

The trees are dark green in colour but due to them being so densely packed together on the island, they appear much darker.

“What you see as black is actually very dark green, it’s a very dense forest made up of Pisonia trees,” one person pointed out online.

It's actually an uninhabited island called Vostok Island (Google Maps)

Following the discovery, a video of a diver exploring the mysterious black hole was unearthed on YouTube.

Published by National Geographic over 15 years ago, the clip saw diver Enric Sala revealing how he had just enjoyed one of the best dives of his life, exploring the wildlife of Vostok's rich coral reefs.

"Well, we just came back from a dive on Vostok Island," he said.

"I just did the very best dive of my life."

Eric went on: "There were [indistinct] sharks around us, schools of jags, barracuda and surgeon fish, everything!

"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."

Sala explored the wildlife of Vostok's rich coral reefs (National Geographic)

Despite people now knowing the location of the island, it hasn't stopped the conspiracy theories being circulated online.

"My first thought was that it’s censored," one Reddit user said in a post about the island.

"It wouldn’t make sense for a natural formation to be black like that in such a shallow, small atoll/island."

Others were quick to draw on Lost references, adding: "Ladies and gentlemen, they have found the island in Lost."

According to Brittanica, there are no inhabitants on the island, which was reportedly sighted for the first time back in 1820 by Russian Antarctic explorer Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen.

It was then said to be claimed in 1860 by the United States under the Guano Act of 1856 and by Great Britain in 1873.

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