I had never heard of this story until I saw the Masterpiece Theatre program about a year ago on public TV in the United States.
The mystical reason given for their disappearance would never be accepted today - I can just see today's networks, cable TV, supermarket tabloids, etc. all screaming they have the "real explanation" for what happened to these men.
Frankly, it rather makes me long for the good-old days when people seemed to be more innocent and accepting and not demanding to know every single detail, no matter how painful it might be to their loved ones.