Ghosts

[Butch5]

phantasma. noun. 1. A supernatural being, such as a ghost: apparition, bogey, bogeyman, bogle, eidolon, ghost,
phantasm, phantom, revenant, shade, shadow, specter, spirit, visitant, wraith.

I think it's fair to conclude they thought they saw a spirit, but spirit is more of a generic term and i don't think its would be safe to assume that they specifically thought they saw the spirit of a person who died., aka a ghost

A spirit isn't a ghost. A ghost, as used in modern English is a disembodied human being. The Bible doesn't speak of disembodied humans. That's not possible. According to Gen 2 a man is a physical being with the breath of God in him. There is no human spirit. The spirit in man is God's.