Mysterious disappearances in the Bermuda Triangle

Numerous boats and planes have vanished without a trace in the Bermuda Triangle, bordering Miami, Bermuda, and Puerto Rico, with the cause of these disappearances remaining a mystery.

The Navy pilots were flying the Avenger aircraft on a bombing training mission before they disappeared. Photo: National Geographic

On a sunny day nearly 80 years ago, five U.S. Navy planes took off from a base in Florida on a routine training mission called Flight 19, but neither the planes nor the pilots were ever seen again. The Bermuda Triangle is an area surrounded by Miami, Bermuda, and Puerto Rico. While there are no official statistics, in the past decade, many ships and planes have disappeared here without a trace, according to National Geographic .

The unusual characteristics of this area have been noted in the past. Christopher Columbus described in his diary instances of compasses pointing strangely wrong in the region. But the sea area remained unnamed until August 2021, when Vincent Gaddis coined the term Bermuda Triangle to refer to the disappearance of Flight 19.

Many bizarre theories have emerged to explain what happened to the victims. Their disappearance and the vehicle have been attributed to sea monsters, giant squid, or extraterrestrial beings. Additionally, alien abduction, the existence of a dimension created by an unknown species, and the phenomenon of "sea bloating" caused by the sudden eruption of trapped methane gas could also be the culprits. However, experts argue that the reality is far more normal. According to them, sometimes extreme natural conditions, human error, manufacturing or design flaws, and bad luck can help explain many disappearances.

The disappearance of Flight 19

The Bermuda Triangle legend will forever be associated with the fateful flight that took place on December 5, 1945. Flight 17 took off from the U.S. Naval Air Station in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Five TBM Avenger Torpedo Bombers carrying 14 people took off at 2:10 PM that day to conduct a routine maritime training mission. Under the command of Lieutenant Charles Taylor, their objective was to fly along a triangular route divided into three stages and practice dropping bombs on the Hen and Chickens reef.

In the era before satellite navigation became a common navigation tool, Taylor got lost shortly after dropping his bombs. Pilots flying over water had to rely on compasses to know how long they were flying in a particular direction and at what speed. Both compasses on Taylor's plane malfunctioned. In-flight communications indicated he wasn't wearing a watch and had no landmarks in the middle of the ocean.

The planes flew in one direction, then changed course as the pleasant daytime weather turned stormy in the evening. Talor planned that as soon as the first plane's fuel level dropped below 381, all five planes would land in the sea. The Avenger was known for its extreme durability, built like a tank, according to Mark Evans, a historian in the Naval Aviation History branch of the Naval History Institute. They were also very heavy, with an empty weight of over 4,535 kg. When landing, the Avenger did not plunge too quickly or forcefully.

The chances of survival in rough seas are very slim. The chances of surviving the night in cold water are even lower. It's highly likely the wreckage would quickly sink to the seabed. However, in the large-scale search at sea and on land, authorities found neither the pilot's body nor the aircraft wreckage. Additionally, a rescue plane disappeared along with its 13-person crew. In the Navy's final report, the disappearance of Flight 19 was blamed on the pilot. After objections from the Taylor family and several reviews, the verdict was changed to "cause or reason unclear."

The grave in the Atlantic Ocean

The Bermuda Triangle has some unusual features. It is one of only two places in the world where true north and magnetic north are aligned, which can cause compasses to malfunction. It also boasts some of the world's deepest underwater trenches. Wreckage from sunken vessels can fall into underwater graves several kilometers below the surface. Much of the seabed in the Bermuda Triangle lies at a depth of 5,791 meters. Near the southern tip of the triangle, the Puerto Rico Trench is at a depth of 8,229 meters below sea level.

Shallow coral reefs and rugged rock formations line the continental shelf. Strong ocean currents flowing over the reefs often pose a threat to seafarers, according to the coast guard. Then there's the weather. The biggest problem in that area is the frequent storms, according to Dave Feit, chief of marine weather forecasting at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Oceanographic Forecasting Center.

The Gulf Stream, moving along the western edge of the triangle, may be a contributing factor. The Gulf Stream is like a river, 64–80 km wide within the ocean, circulating in the North Atlantic. Warm water and a current speed of 3.7–7.4 km/h can create weather patterns leading to unexpectedly high waves. If waves are 2.4 m high outside the Gulf Stream, they can be two to three times higher inside the current. Sailors can sometimes identify the Gulf Stream by the thunderstorms overhead. The Coast Guard also emphasizes that unpredictable Caribbean-Atlantic storms have the potential to generate waterspouts, causing disaster for pilots and sailors.

An Khang (According to National Geographic )

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