Very often the immediately deceased will appear, in the case of a sinking ship, as faces in the waves around the search parties. FACT.
Same with fire victims. Their faces appear for a brief moment.
This is a common thing, just mostly unnoticed, always. People burned at the stake, faces can be seen the the smoke of the burning corpses, for about 2 minutes, in brief flashes.
Today, high speed photography captures all that.
Sometimes, its animal shapes and the like.
Others, its demonic imagery.
It really is on a case by case basis. There are no rock hard rules about this kind of seeing and understanding, because of the variables that come into play.
And how much SOUL energy is behind the event, in involvement.
Too many variables to say, it WILL ALWAYS BE.
Reality is far too flexible for that kind of narrow perceptivity.
And also, there are the very living elemental spirits themselves, whom allow these visages expression in these various expressions - earth, fire, air, water, spirit.
Too many variables. Experience and sound understanding, leads to much, and why prayer is essential prior to any honest understanding of the matter. Prayer to YHVH.