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The Pacific island that never was

 For more than decade has excelled in world maps. Seen from Google Earth, Sandy Islands appears as a dark band in the middle of Pacific Ocean. But when marine scientists arrived on the island, didn't exist. Mary Seaton, a geologist at the University of Sidney, had embarked on a journey to study plate tectonics. They saw the enigmatic island lying along it's route. But there were several puzzling discrepancies: though the island appeared on the Google Earth map, there were no images of it. 

Dorling also said that in the case of Sandy Island it was probably human error that had led to it's creation. Charts were originally compilled by sailors using a watch and measuring longitude, with the ancient sailors travelling by the stars. 

It's more likely that they found one and put it in the wrong location. I wouldn't be surprised if the island does actually exist, somewhere nearby.