The Bermuda Triangle

The Bermuda Triangle, also called the Devil’s Triangle, is a loosely defined region in the western North Atlantic where numerous aircraft and ships have allegedly disappeared under mysterious circumstances. Despite extensive investigation, the triangle’s reputation persists in popular culture.

The Region

The triangle is typically drawn from Miami to Bermuda to Puerto Rico and back to Miami. It covers approximately 500,000 square miles of ocean and is one of the most heavily traveled shipping lanes in the world.

Famous Incidents

The most famous case is Flight 19, five Navy TBM Avenger torpedo bombers that disappeared during a training flight on December 5, 1945. A search plane sent to find them also vanished. The lead pilot’s last transmissions suggested navigation problems, but no wreckage was ever found.

Other notable disappearances include the USS Cyclops (1918), a Navy cargo ship that vanished with 309 crew, and the SS Marine Sulphur Queen (1963), a tanker that disappeared without distress signals.

Explanations

Scientific investigations have found that the number of disappearances in the triangle is not statistically unusual for such a heavily trafficked area. Weather, human error, and the Gulf Stream’s ability to rapidly disperse wreckage account for most incidents.

Some proposed paranormal explanations include electronic fog, time warps, underwater alien bases, and remnants of Atlantean technology.

Assessment

The Bermuda Triangle is likely more legend than anomaly. Careful analysis shows the area is no more dangerous than comparable regions. However, the mystery has captured public imagination since the 1960s and continues to inspire speculation.