Fact& Myth

This page is designed to clear up several comments circulated in print or on the web promoted as “facts” about the Triangle, but which are pure fancy. Most of the claims are straight quotes from those promoting them.

Myth 1.

“A check of Lloyd’s of London’s accident records by the editor of Fate in 1975 showed that the triangle was a no more dangerous part of the ocean than any other. U.S. Coast Guard records confirmed this and since that time no good arguments have ever been made to refute those statistics. So the Bermuda Triangle mystery disappeared, in the same way many of its supposed victims had vanished.”

Fact 1

This is completely false. Lloyd’s does not insure the smaller stuff, so all yachts go unreported and uncataloged in statistics. Lloyd’s seldom insures the smaller charter and private aircraft, so likewise for them. Lloyd’s is not the ultimate source. It is not a marine investigation bureau. It reports on sailing news relevant to insurance.

US Coast Guard SAR (Search and Rescue) statistics for all districts are published yearly in a thick voluminous report. This details the statistics for calls of assistance, causes of accidents, weather, deaths, conditions, whatever. However, missing vessels are not readily included. In reality, the designation Overdue Vessels are more important. But because it is hard to determine the number of people on board and exactly where the vessel last was, “missing” or “overdue” cannot be easily calculated. They may be catagorized under “caused by other factor” if at all. I have just received a list of vessels from the 7th district after 12 years of asking for and being denied missing vessel statistics, always receiving the reply “nobody tracks such statistics.” For the last 2 fiscal years this includes about 300 vessel names or types. And now I must start my search, to see which reported back to port (if any), what the weather conditions were like, etc.
The Coast Guard is not even capable of accurately determining the numbers, and therefore could never have conducted a study. What they probably did was comment on the popular notion that 20 aircraft and 50 ships are missing. That number was bandied about incessantly in the 1970s and is still in the Encyclopedia Britannica. This number is not extraordinary for 100 years, though it is more aircraft than elsewhere over seas.
NTSB database searches reveal that in the last decade only a handful of aircraft disappearances have occurred off New England while over 30 have happened in the Triangle. These are American statistics only, and do not reflect other nationalities.
Then there are those who claim the disparity is due to the Triangle’s greater amount of traffic. In reality, the 1st Coast Guard district answers about just as many calls for assistance as the 7th, but the number of disappearances is still remarkably different.

Myth 2

“Investigations to date have not produced scientific evidence of any unusual phenomena involved in the disappearances. Thus, any explanation, including so-called scientific ones in terms of methane gas being released from the ocean floor, magnetic disturbances, etc., are not needed. The real mystery is how the Bermuda Triangle became a mystery at all.”

Fact 2

Not only utterly false, but actually stupid. One would have to witness a disappearance in order to determine what was directly involved. This has obviously not be done, and such a comment, as a result, is a lame one. There have been NO scientific expeditions to investigate the overall Triangle. Independent people, often possessing degrees in one of the sciences, have made their own, sometimes truncated study. Most have produced some very interesting discoveries. Dr. A.J. Yelkin’s study revealed unexplained magnetic deviations during phases of the Moon. Dr. Zink’s observations at Bimini revealed unexplained magnetic variations in the compass at the precise time each year in early August (consistent in some ways with Yelkin’s theories). Wilbert Smith’s studies revealed areas of “reduced bindings” in the magnetic field that came and went. But as for any scientific expeditions into the Triangle to take readings or tests or to see if something would happen, none has ever been done.

Myth 3

In short, the mystery of the Bermuda Triangle became a mystery by a kind of communal reinforcement among uncritical authors and a willing mass media to uncritically pass on the speculation that something mysterious is going on in the Atlantic.

Fact 3

Wrong. And the acrimony is hypocritical since that is how the first 2 myths above became established, usually by debunkers spreading “communal reinforcement” that they have evidence by having no evidence or that they reflect the status quo as experienced by suburban America.

Myth 4

In 1492, shortly before making land in the West Indies, Christopher Columbus recorded in his ship's log that he and his crew had observed a large ball of fire fall into the sea and that the ship's compass was behaving erratically.

Fact 4

False. That happened shortly after leaving the Canary Islands. The erratic compasses readings were recorded thrice while in the Sargasso Sea and Triangle.

Myth 5

The Bermuda Triangle mystery is answered with latest science - static electricity is the culprit, not 4th dimensional hogwash— that a severe electrostatic charge on the human body and in turn in the central nervous system and the brain is the cause for the human pilot to lose consciousness. This unconscious state happens both in astronautics and aeronautics and has also been observed and recorded in the Bermuda Triangle aviation disasters. The Bermuda Triangle is a static electricity exchange place. The Bermuda Triangle is on [sic] of Earth's places where natural electricity is neutralized.

Fact 5

False. The effects of the Earth as a weak driver is interesting and the subject of some studies, as well as overwater locations where it might affect electromagnetism. But there is absolutely no evidence for static electricity in the Triangle cases, as claimed above. The claim that there was is utterly untrue. No pilots have been reported to pass out. How could you tell in a disappearance anyway? This originates with a man named Peter Staheli. He accepts the old and defunct lines attributed to Charles Taylor “everything is strange, wrong” etc., and so forth. This gives you an idea of his research methods. Electromagnetic and electrical effects in the area are being studied by others right now, with far better research methods than those that sponsored Staheli’s strange dogma.

Due to the strange outburst demonstrated by Staheli in response to this brief statement, it was necessary to place a page up clarifying the ruckus. See Comments

Myth 6

Lt. Charles Taylor, the leader of Flight 19, was actually a lazy slob, a drunk, and a careless navigator.

Fact 6

This rubbish stems from Larry Kusche who was all over the place in his 1980 book The Disappearance of Flight 19 which he wrote between two of his other stellars on how to scientifically pop popcorn. I cannot answer for what was in Kusche’s mind, but I would consider the result akin to clear victimization, as well as misrepresentation. I suggest the reader browse two articles on this site for more. Creating Confusion & Flight DUI. As far as I am concerned there is nothing worthwhile in the book. I have criticized his methods in The Bermuda Triangle Mystery— Solved, but still recommend it. However, with Disappearance I see no reason. There is no mystery why in the last 22 years it was never republished.

Myth 7

The majority of disappearances can be attributed to the area's unique environmental features. First, the "Devil's Triangle" is one of the two places on earth that a magnetic compass does point towards true north. Normally it points toward magnetic north. The difference between the two is known as compass variation. The amount of variation changes by as much as 20 degrees as one circumnavigates the earth. If this compass variation or error is not compensated for, a navigator could find himself far off course and in deep trouble.

Fact 7

False. The Agonic Line— the area of no difference in calculation— moves over time as the axis of the magnetic field slowly changes in response to the Earth’s rotation. It is now approaching the middle of the Gulf of Mexico— as far as the Coast Guard is concerned far outside of the Triangle. Disappearances continue to occur in the same areas within the Triangle. The Coast Guard statement above is 30 years obsolete, but they have not updated it. To do so would prove most of their statement to have been in error.

Myth 8

You receive money to do this. You are not a professional researcher, nor do you have a degree in Bermuda-Triangleology. Since you are not a “who” according to this standard, all of the evidence you present must be dismissed.

ED. All right, maybe a little bit of that is tongue-in-cheek, but it captures the acrimony of one detractor on the web who calls himself Tobias Gibson, a man who seems to promote himself and his degree in Research as giving him an edge on the Triangle, though he seems to have little knowledge of what has transpired in the last 25 years. His research, degree or no, translates down to having watched a couple of PBS videos and to having read a couple of 30 year old books, as his bibliography testifies.

Fact 8 Suffice it say, I am not paid for my appearances on TV. My web site costs me money. There is no paid advertising, no pop-ups. There are a few banners. These were requested by those establishments and are gratis. They generate no income.

ED. Another myth perpetrated by this spinmeister about me, a man who propagates many falsehoods on his web site, conjures up a frightful picture of what his reading comprehension must be like. The following myth is courtesy of this man and his inability to realize people take their reputations seriously.

Myth 9:

Bermuda-Triangle.Org description according to Tobias Gibson:

“is by far the best and most comprehensive site that purports the myths around the Bermuda Triangle. The journalist who does the page claims to do it as a hobby but seems to have connections with many cable channels that continue to purport the myth. The author also likes to trash this site and Larry Kusche's book. Still, it is a very useful site. He has sections devoted to all the major theories. Unfortunately, the theory that weather and nature are the culprits is the one section he has yet to develop (as of March 27, 2001).

He has a low opinion of this site because it is on Tripod and I don't pay for it to be on the web (I'm not sure how this makes my site inaccurate or flawed). He also claims it is easier to just debunk a myth rather than support or create one. The site has lots of pretty pictures, many of which are glorified icons for sponsors (I'm not sure how this differs from a Tripod Banner Ad) and may load slow but is definitely worth a look, despite the difference in opinions.

ED. Senator Alan Simpson once publicly declared: “An attack unanswered is an attack believed. Let people know who you are and what you stand for.”

For over a year I have not taken this sound advice. I have refrained from replying to his innuendoes or directly correcting the numerous outright errors his site contains for the reason he seems eager to promote my website’s purpose as designed to “trash” his opinion site. By yielding to a rebuttal I was afraid this might help him promote the idea he likes to cultivate: that he is the reigning expert on the subject warring against the mass of sensationalists and mythmakers. This unenviable image would be relatively inoffensive were it not for his weak attempt to create it at my expense. Mercifully, he does not seem to impress a large audience, as his sluggish odometer previously testified before, like the missing in the Bermuda Triangle, it recently mysteriously vanished as his site underwent a move from near defunct status to another server, befitting its move downward in the search rankings. This site claims to have been up since 1995, but its odometer never reached 100,000 hits.

Such misrepresentations as he makes in these comments, couched as a bibliographical statement of his sources, are hardly surprising considering the quanta of inaccuracies and misrepresentations he makes in his site altogether. Most of what he claims as myths are the result of poor reading comprehension, a limited scope of knowledge on the subject, and a predisposition to berate anything outside his own personal suburban experience. His “facts” in response to these “myths” are either bumbling error or pure exaggeration and fabrication. It is time, I think, that I finally respond to this mythmaker.

Fact 9

My site is loaded with actual pictures of people, the vessels, planes, and of the Triangle. Out of 180 pages or so, I have about 4 banners on the whole site, 2 on the home page alone. His statement shows he did not browse the site at all, or he is an outright prevaricator. As far as I can tell, he saw some of my answers in Q&A answering confused surfers. Their questions reflect their confusion after browsing his confused site. I was correcting the mistakes quite unaware of their origin. He translates this as trashing his site. Weird. His site was not mentioned.

Fact 10:

I do not create myth, nor do I support it. I have stated it is easier to mock a subject (debunk) than it is to do the actual research, expend time, money and effort to locate documents and interview people.

Myth 11: According to Gibson: The latitude and longitude of the Triangle are “Before ‘creative license’ takes over”:

NW edge, Bermuda: 32.20 N, 64.45 W.
SW edge, San Juan: 18.5 N, 66.9 W
NE edge, Miami: 25.48N, 80.18 W

Fact 11:

As most of you noticed, who are neither brain dead nor had the one-day-lobotomy operation, Bermuda is not in the NorthWest of the Triangle, nor is Miami in the SouthEast, nor is San Juan in the SouthWest. Bermuda is NorthEast edge of the Triangle, Miami is SouthWest, and San Juan is SouthEast.

Myth 12:

According to Gibson: The Sargasso Sea has nothing to do with the Bermuda Triangle. It is entirely east of Bermuda, just “take a peek at any globe.”

Fact 12:

It is hard to image such cross-referencing having as its provenance a Masters in Research. After reading my correction in Q&A he apparently modified the above statement: “The Sargasso Sea has really little to do with the Bermuda Triangle except a portion of its boundaries lies within the Triangle.”

ED. When reading Gibson it is clear that analysis does not necessarily go hand-in-hand with research.

Myth 13:

Most myth supporters like to plot Bermuda as centrally located within the Sargasso; this is not the case. However proponents of the myth will then expand the dimensions of the Triangle to include the area of the Sargasso Sea, having the uninformed assume that the two are synonymous. In reality, by doing so they have more than doubled the size of the triangle, while still leaving one with the impression that everything occurred within the original boundaries.

Fact 13: Complete exaggeration. I know of no such “most myth supporters.” I know of only one map, and that is on my site, courtesy of the National Geographic. Checkout Sargasso Sea for a picture of it. We must assume that the NG are “myth supporters” since they show the Sargasso Sea encompassing Bermuda, as it does in reality, though this may not be reflected on Gibson’s household globe.

ED. His comment shows his style of exaggeration—one map on my site becomes “most myth supporters.” No writer, whether Berlitz, Winer, Spencer, Gaddis, Godwin, Sanderson, or Burgess, ever left their reader in doubt about the fluid shape of the “Triangle,” and always clarified the differences in opinion before discussing the missing. All their books are still available in used book stores and the surfer can buy them cheaply. One wonders what “creative license” Gibson is using when, to bolster his claim of authority on the subject, he makes the nebulous statement he “lived in and about the area for 10 years” but does not say where—and considering his unusually pedantic view on the strict shape of the Triangle, he would have to have lived off shore Miami or in the Bahamas to have qualified. “About” or “around” the area does not count to him if it’s a disappearance, but he uses this same generalization when trying to give himself an edge as an authority on the “Triangle.”

One may assume this “creative license” was responsible for his claims of having investigated the Triangle for 20 years, which he now admits started when he was a kid; of having lived in the area for 10 years, though by his own criterion for disappearances he probably did not. What constitutes “investigate” also seems subject to his “creative license.” His site bibliography proves he has done nothing in excess of having watched a couple of videos and believed word-for-word Larry Kusche’s near 30 year old book. Being unable to explain people’s encounters with electromagnetic phenomena and weird atmospheric aberrations, he once again misrepresents these as “paranormal” experiences, and then fabricates a scientific response.

Myth 14:

“While scientists can assure them that nothing strange actually happened, they will cling to their belief that something truely [sic]strange happened. For them the Bermuda Triangle is as real as the air we breathe. This isn't actual proof in the existence of the Triangle but unfortunately their strong belief is shamelessly used my [sic] the perpetrators of the myth.”

Fact 14

No sailor or pilot reporting these went to any scientific personnel for an explanation except Frank Flynn. And all the oceanographers he spoke to were at a loss to explain it. None ever claimed it was supernatural or paranormal. Many such stories were cataloged by the late Dr. J. Manson Valentine, but I suppose he is not a “scientific authority” since he did not debunk them out-of-hand like Gibson.

Gibson’s dictated explanation is another pure

Myth 15

“Most if not all of the so-called mysteries are no more than over-active imaginations.”

Fact 15

Gibson never spoke to any of them and has no way to determine this. His claim that scientists have done so is, again, pure myth.

Myth 16:

“ . . .if an aircraft crashes *into the water* and then is submerged, the ELT signal will not be heard since the ELT is submerged, so the effect is, as you note, that it is quite difficult to find a plane that has crashed into the water.”

Fact 16:

ELTs, as most any aviator knows, are designed to float. They are contained in the fuselage and jettisoned by the force of impact. His former statement that they sink with the plane because they are in the seat must have been inspired by some vague knowledge of military automatic alarms. These are contained in fighter pilot seats and triggered by ejection. Since one does not eject from the seat of a civilian aircraft, the ELT is placed in the fuselage. He has now altered this after reading my Q&A answer to a confused surfer. He now claims ELTs merely sink with the plane.

ED. What the hell is the point in having an automatic alarm that is designed to be destroyed with the aircraft?! His 20 years of aviation interest and “all things nautical” never got him near a plane or he never would not have made such an exaggeration to apply that to all aircraft.

Myth 17:

His ideas on the size of the Triangle:

* Consider these sizes:
According to the Myth, the Bermuda Triangle is anywhre [sic]from 600,000 square miles to 1,500,000 square miles of ocean. The Sargasso which is almost entirely outside of the Triangle is over 2,000,000 square miles of ocean.

ED. Again, anything outside the shape and size he wishes to give the area, based on Gaddis’ article in 1964, is his criterion for determining “myth.”

Fact 17:

However, the 1,500,000 square miles is directly referencing me and my article 500 Leagues of Sea. This Master in Research apparently has never read the Encyclopedia Britannica: “Bermuda Triangle, section of the North Atlantic Ocean. . . The triangle extends roughly between latitude 25 degrees to 40 degrees N and longitude 55 to 85 degrees W and covers an area of more than 1,500,000 sq miles (3,900,000 sq km).” The Encyclopedia Britannica is now a “myth supporter” one must assume.

ED. His bizarre “skepticism” has handicapped any kind of real analysis or research. He doesn’t realize that Gaddis was not the first to describe a shape, nor did he have to be the last. See History of Triangle and Sea of Expanding Shapes.

Myth 18:

“There are only two longitudes in the world where Magnetic and Grid, or Magnetic, and True North align. These locations are near the center of Europe and near the eastern part of the United States.”

Fact 18:

FALSE! They are off Japan and down the Eastern US and through the Gulf. Not even Wrong Way Corrigan made that kind of mistake! Nevertheless, he writes, with true geographical obtuseness:

Myth 19:

At the tip of Portugal the difference between Magnetic and Grid North is about four degrees. As you travel west across the Atlantic, the difference between Magnetic and Grid North begins to increase. This difference can get as much as 22 degrees. This increase continues until you reach the middle of the Atlantic and the Sargasso Sea, and then slowly Grid and Magnetic begin to realign so that by the time you reach the southern tip of Florida the two are only one and a half degrees different.

Fact 19: Wrongy. Southern Florida, as any navigator knows, is about 3 degrees off. Any current chart will show that. 30 years ago the Agonic Line may have been off the eastern Florida coast. No longer. The Agonic Line is now near the center of the Gulf of Mexico. The area of increase or decrease is measured from the Agonic Line. It increases the further one travels into the Atlantic until at the Azores it is about 24 degrees (as I recall). I have no idea what he is talking about when he is mentioning Portugal and that somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic they begin to realign. That happens in the Gulf and off Japan.

Myth 20:

“The author also likes to trash this site and Larry Kusche’s book . . . He has a low opinion of this site because it is on Tripod and I don't pay for it to be on the web (I'm not sure how this makes my site inaccurate or flawed)”

Fact 20:

Never heard of him at the time. His site had never been mentioned— ever (until today, June 24, 2002). Any general comment about other web sites was that they are opinion sites. But the fact he immediately assumed he was being singled-out from amongst many sites (all of which have more hits on their odometers than he ever had), I find bizarre.

ED. As it stands today, Gibson has retired in favor of a protégé who will not only keep the torch of debunkery alive but do so with equally nebulous claims to authority. “While Tobias lived in the area for ten years, I have not. I do however visit the area frequently (four times in the last three years) and without incident. I call these visits, Summer Vacation and/or Spring Break.”

The a la mode upon Gibson’s frivolous claims of authority is now promoting cruising the bars and party hotspots of Daytona Beach or Miami (or other Spring Break meccas) as investigating the Triangle. Both imply that since nothing has ever happened to them (presumably along these drags), there is little chance anything mysterious has happened to those 500 miles out at sea. But she reasserts she is his pupil and that he lived in and around the area for 10 years while growing up and has been “researching so-called [Myth 21 warning] paranormal activity, particularly the Bermuda Triangle, off and on, for over two decades. He did this as a hobby and not for pay.”

Fact 21:

The Bermuda Triangle is not a paranormal pursuit. It is a tangible investigation of missing aircraft and ships, vast tonnages of both, and the possible theories of what might have caused it. There are no ghosts, demons or angels involved.

ED.His comment about receiving no pay seems to be another hatchwork based on his impression there is money where TV walks! In his bibliography of my site he describes me thusly:

Myth 22:

“The journalist who does the page claims to do it as a hobby but seems to have connections with many cable channels that continue to purport the myth.” (Ed. On the other hand, his pupil brags about him being a “Professional Researcher.”)

Fact 22:

A lame inference. In actuality I am not paid for appearing on TV, nor do I receive money for doing my research. My hobby has, in fact, cost me thousands because I bothered to get documents and travel in the Triangle, because I bothered to enter the subject tangibly and not just stew in my own conceited second guesswork. I have been doing this since 1990, and for most of this time I received no public recognition. For this tenacity and for the evidence I can present I get on TV. They approached me.

ED. Gibson’s obvious failure in the area of which he had once bragged of self-expertise might be sponsoring his new denigration of the whole subject. His pupil writes of his farewell: “However the Bermuda Triangle was never his only interest in life and he doesn't have time to focus, in his words, on "debunking half baked theories that could easily be explained away with more complete research in the first place".”

But his site claims to have already presented the facts to debunk it, has it not? After 20 years is he admitting he never researched it completely? Theories need more research or the incidents? It’s often hard to follow his illogical progressions.

I must assume this webmaster’s apparent lack of reading comprehension has also prompted his basic mistakes and also his overall glowing appraisal of his meager research. His mistakes above have not been the only ones. But it is not practical or possible to critique his entire site. It may not be necessary either. As the surfer of his guestbook discovers, he is not taken too seriously. This seems haunted by equally immature approaches to the topic. The comment of one high school girl, left on June 21, 2002, reflects the outlook of those who find his site interesting enough to leave a message: “My toilet is my Bermuda Triangle. Large objects keep disappearing daily.” But such an attitude is not surprising in the guestbook of a website whose webmaster originally approached the subject from behind such an impressive pseudonym as Bubba, the Salty Dog.

In short, this webmaster’s claims and approach have no merit. All those “in and about the Triangle” in aviation or nautical authority are not familiar with his name, nor are any family members of the missing, friends or other researchers. His web site shows he has gotten no documents, not even an old newspaper article, despite his claim he backworked most of Kusche’s bibliography. Though he claims to have lived “in and about the area,” he is completely unaware of its most basic geography. His claims and reputation, in essence, have no cross-reference in reality outside of the cyber reality of the world-wide-web and what he wishes to represent of himself. His conclusions seem based on nothing more than a few videos and Kusche’s 1975 book. This lack of serious approach to the subject is befitting the moniker “Bubba, the Salty Dog.” And such a flippant nomen befits 3rd grade intros like his typical exaggeration: “Okay Let me tell you right off that the Bermuda Triangle is a myth that started off as old-time stories that sailors used to tell new ship mates to give them the heebie-jeebies.”

Well, it’s time to go on. It’s unfortunate such things must be written. Gibson should not have taken the reputation of another person so lightly. It is well his site has a sub-page devoted to Spatial Disorientation, for his entire site is a mastery of spin, of exaggerations of what the “myths” are, and outright error takes the place of his facts.

Summary of Missing Planes

The aircraft below are listed for purposes of assisting in identification. I do not necessarily believe every one is the result of unexplainable mystery.



1. 1945, December 5: The entire training flight of five Navy
TBM Avengers. Plane #s FT-28, FT-36, FT-117,
FT-3, FT-81. Crew: 14

2. 1945, December 5: PBM Martin Mariner. Off Banana
River, Florida at 28o 59’ NL 80o 25 WL. Crew:13

3. 1947, July 3: a C-54 Douglas en route from Bermuda to
Miami in cargo service. Crew: 7.

4. 1948, January 30: BSAAC Tudor IV Airliner Star Tiger
near Bermuda, northest. 29 crew and passengers, includ
ing Air Marshal Sir Arthur Coningham. GAHNP.

5. 1948, December 28: NC-16002, Douglas DC-3 passenger
airliner; south of Miami on approach to the airport
(within 50 miles). crew and passengers: 31.

6. 1949, January 17: Tudor IV Star Ariel (sister of Star
Tiger) Bermuda for Kingston, Jamaica. Crew and
pasengers: 19. GAGRE.

7. 1954, October 30: Super Constellation, in Navy service.
Maryland for Lajes, in the Azores. Crew and passengers:
42.

8. 1956, November 9: Martin Marlin amphibious patrol
plane, about 350 miles north of Bermuda. Crew: 10.

9. 1961, October 15: an 8 engine SAC B-52 “Pogo 22” north
of Bermuda while returning from routine maneuvers.

10. 1962, January 8: Air Force KB-50 Aerial tanker. North
Carolina to Lajes, Azores. Crew: 8.

11. 1962, May 27: a C-133 Cargomaster, between Dover and
Lajes, Azores. Crew:10.

12. 1963, August 28: 2 KC-135 Stratotanker jets
mysteriously disintergrate over the Sargasso Sea,
enroute back to Miami from refueling near Bermuda.
Crew: 10 total.

13 1963, September 22: another C-133 Cargomaster; Dover
for the Azores. Crew: 10.

14. 1964, February 8: Piper Apache between Grand Bahama
Island and West Palm Beach, Florida. 4 persons. N2157P

15. 1964, December 5: Cessna 140 with 2 persons; off New
Smyrna Beach, Florida. N81089

16. 1965, June 5: a C-119 “Flying Boxcar”; Miami to Grand
Turk. Crew: 10. Was within 100 miles of Grand Turk.

17. 1965, September 15: Beechcraft c18s, with 3 persons,
near St. Thomas, VI, around 7:26 P.M. N8063H

18. 1965, October 31: Cessna 182 somewhere between
Marathon Key and Key West, Florida. 2 persons. N4010D

19. 1965, December 6: Ercoupe F01; between Fort
Lauderdale and West End, Grand Bahama. 2 persons.
N99660

20. 1965, December 29: a Piper Cherokee; South Caicos for
San Juan. 3 persons. N6077P

21. 1966, April 5: a converted cargo B-25; Fort Lauderdale
to Aruba. N92877

22. 1966, September 20: Tampa to Baton Rouge; Piper
Commanche. 2 persons. (see arguments on shape)
N7090P

23. 1967, January 11: Chase YC-122; between Fort
Lauderdale and Bimini in the Bahamas. 4 Persons.
N122E

24. 1967, January 14: a Beechcraft Bonanza near Key
Largo.N7210B 4 persons.

25. 1967, January 17: Piper Cherokee en route St. Thomas
from San Juan. N4129P

26. 1967, July 2: near Mayaguez, PR, a Cherokee. 4
persons. N5100W

27. 1967, August 6: between Miami & Bimini; Piper
Cherokee. 3 persons. N8165W

28. 1967, October 3: Cherokee; Great Inagua for San Juan.
N3775K

29. 1967, November 8: Cessna 182; George Town, Great
Exuma and Nassau. 4 persons. N7121E

30. 1967, November 22: Cherokee near Cat Island,
Bahamas. 4 persons. N9443J

31. 1968, May 29: Cessna 172 near Grand Turk. 2 persons.
N1483F

32. 1968, July 8: between Grand Bahama & West Palm
Beach; Cessna 180. 2 persons. N944MH

33. 1969, January 5: Piper Comanche between Pompano
Beach, FL & North Carolina. 2 persons. N8653P

34. 1969, February 15: Beechcraft 95-c55 en route Miami
from Georgia. N9490S

35. 1969, March 8: big Douglas DC-4 in cargo service;
after leaving the Azores. Crew: 3. N3821

36. 1969, March 22: a Beechcraft between Kingston,
Jamaica & Nassau. 2 persons. N609R

37. 1969, June 6: Cessna 172 between Grand Turk &
Caicos Island. 2 persons. N8040L

38. 1969, June 29: a B-95 Beechcraft Executive; Great
Inagua for San Juan. N590T

39. 1969, August 3: Piper PA-22; West Palm Beach to
Albion, New Jersey. 2 persons. N8971C

40. 1969, October 11: Pilattus-Brittan-Norman Islander;
Great Inagua for Puerto Rico. 2 persons. N852JA

41. 1970, January 17: Piper Comanche; between Nassau &
Opa Locka, FL. 2 persons. N9078P

42. 1970, July 3: between Maiquetia, Venesuela & San
Juan, PR. Cessna 310G. 6 persons. N1166T

43. 1970, November 23: Piper Comanche between West
Palm Beach & Kingston, Jamaica. 3 persons. N9346P

44. 1971, March 20: a Cessna 177b with pilot en route
Andros Island from Miami at 3:18 P.M. N30844

45. 1971, July 26: Horizon Hunter Club’s rental; near
Barbados. 4 persons.

46. 1971, September 10: Phantom II F-4E Jet; on routine
maneuvers 82 miles south of Miami. 2 pilots.

47. 1971, December 21: Cessna 150j with pilot after leaving
Pompano Beach; destination unknown. N61155

48. 1972, October 10: Super Constellation between Miami
& Santo Domingo. 4 crew. N564E

49. 1973, March 28: Cessna 172 after leaving West Palm
Beach, FL, with pilot. N7050T

50. 1973, May 25: a Navion A16 between Freeport and
West Palm Beach. 2 persons. N5126K

51. 1973, August 10: Beechcraft Bonanza between Fort
Lauderdale & Marsh Harbour, Bahamas. 4 persons.
N7956K

52. 1973, August 26: after departing Viaquez, PR; Cessna
150. 3 persons. N50143

53. 1973, December 20: a Lake Amphibian between
Nassau and Bimini. (near Bimini). 3 persons. N39385

54. 1974, February 10: pilot and his Cessna 414 vanish
after leaving treasure Cay, Bahamas. N8103Q

55. 1974, February 10: that night a Pilattus -Brittan-
Norman Islander with pilot and co-pilot disappear at
7:31 P.M. on approach St. Thomas. N864JA

56. 1974, July 13: Piper PA-32 between West Palm Beach &
Walker Cay, Bahamas. N83CA

57. 1974, August 11: Beech K35 Bonanza after departing
Pompano Beach, FL. for Philadelphia. 2 persons.
N632Q

58. 1975, February 25: Piper PA-30; Greensboro, NC. to
Freeport, GBI; pilot only. N414DG

59. 1975, May 2: Cessna “Skymaster”; Fort Lauderdale
area. N86011

60. 1975, July 28: Cessna 172; vicinity Fort Lauderdale. 1
N8936V

61. 1975, December 9: Cessna 172; St. Croix to St. Kitts. 1;
N5182R

62. 1976, June 4: Beech D50; Pahokee, FL., to Dominican
Republic; 2. N1157

63. 1976, August 8: Piper PA-28; Vera Cruz, Mexico to
Brownsville, TX; 1. (See Q&A Arguments on shape)
N6377J

64. 1976, October 24: Beech E-50; Opa Locka, FL. to Grand
Turk Island. N5665D

65. 1976, December 28: Piper PA-23; Anguilla to Beef
Island; 6. N4573P

66. 1978, February 22: a KA-6 Navy attack bomber
vanished from radar 100 miles off Norfolk en route
U.S.S. John F. Kennedy; 2.

67. 1978, March 25: Aero Commander 680; Opa Locka-
Imokalee, FL. to Freeport, Grand Bahama; 2. N128C

68. 1978, April 27: Ted Smith 601; Pompano Beach to
Panama City, FL.; 1. N555BU

69. 1978, April 30: Cessna 172; Dillon, SC., to unknown; 1.
N1GH

70. 1978, May 19: Piper PA-28 Fort Pierce to Nassau; 4.
N47910

71. 1978, May 26: Beech 65; Port-au-Prince to Bahamas; 2.
N809Q

72. 1978, July 18: Piper PA-31; Santa Marta, Col. to
Port-au- Prince; 2. N689WW

73. 1978, September 21: Douglas DC-3; Fort Lauderdale to
Havana; 4. N407D

74. 1978, November 3: Piper PA-31; St. Croix to St.
Thomas; 1. N59912 (right off St. Thomas)

75. 1978, November 20: Piper PA-23; De Funiak Springs to
Gainsville, FL.; 4. N54615

76. 1979, January 11: Beech A23A; Opa Locka to St.
Thomas; 2. N925RZ

77. 1979, April 2: Beech E18s; Fort Lauderdale to Cat
Island, Bahamas; 1. N4442

78. 1979, April 24: Piper PA-28R; Fort Lauderdale to
Nassau; 4. N7480J

79. 1979, June 30: Cessna 150J; St. Croix to St. Thomas; 2.
N60936

80. 1979, September 9: Cessna 182; New Orleans to
Pensacola, Florida. 3 persons. N2183R

81. 1979, October 4: Aero Commander 500; Andros Island
to West Palm Beach, FL.; pilot; N3815C

82. 1979, October 27: Piper PA-23; Montego Bay, Jamaico
to Nassau; pilot. N13986

83. 1979, November 19: Beech D50b; Delray Beach, FL to
to Key West; 1. N1706

84. 1979, December 21: Piper PA-23; Aguadilla to South
Caicos Island; 4 persons. N1435P

85. 1980, February 11: Beech 58; St. Thomas to unknown;
only pilot aboard; reported stolen. N9027Q

86. 1980, May 19: Lear Jet; West Palm Beach to New
Orleans; 2. N25NE

87. 1980, June 28; Erco 415-D; Santo Domingo, DR., to San
Juan, PR; 2 persons. Pilot reported UFO before
disappearing. N3808H

88. 1981, January 6: Beech c35; Bimini to Nassau; 4
persons N5805C

89. 1982, July 5: Piper PA-28R-201T; Nashville to Venice,
FL.; 4. N505HP

90. 1982, September 28: Beech H35; Marsh Harbour to
Fort Pierce, FL.; 2. N5999

91. 1982, October 20: Piper PA-31; Anguilla to ST.
Thomas, VI. 8 persons. Charter Service. N777AA

92. 1982, November 5: Beech 65-B80; Fort Lauderdale to
Eleuthera Island, Bahamas; 3 persons. N1HQ

93. 1983, October 4: a Cessna T-210-J; Andros Town,
Bahamas to Fort Pierce, FL.; 3 persons. N2284R

94. 1983, November 20: Cessna 340A disappeared near
Orangeville, Fl.; pilot. N85JK

95. 1984, March 12: a Piper between Key West and
Clearwater, Florida; 4 persons. N39677

96. 1984, March 31: Cessna 402b between Fort
Lauderdale and Bimini; 6 persons. N44NC

97. 1984, December 23: Aeronca 7AC between Cross City,
Florida and Alabama; pilot. N81947

98. 1985, January 14: a Cessna 337 in Atlantic northeast
of Jacksonville; 4 persons. N505CX

99. 1985, May 8: Cessna 210k; Miami to Port-au-Prince,
Haiti; pilot. N9465M

100. 1985, July 12: Piper between Nassau and Opa Locka;
4 persons. N8341L

101. 1985, August 3: a Cessna 172; somewhere near Fort
Meyers, FL.; pilot. ??

102. 1985, September 8: a Piper northeast of Key West at
10:08 P.M. en route from Fort Lauderdale; 2 persons.
N5488W

103. 1985, October 31: Piper at 8:29 A.M. ; between
Sarasota, FL. and Columbus, Georgia; pilot. N24MS

104. 1986, March 26: a Piper en route from Miami to West
End or Freeport, GBI.; 6 persons. N3527E

105. 1986, August 3: A Twin Otter charter, around St.
Vincent; 13 persons.

106. 1987, May 27: a Cessna 402c; between Palm Beach,
FL. and Marsh Harbour, Great Abaco,Bahamas; 1.
N2652B

107. 1987, June 3: a Cessna 401; Freeport to Crooked
Island; 4 persons. N7896F

108. 1987, December 2: Cessna 152; La Romana to nearby
San Juan; pilot. N757EQ

109. 1988, February 7: a Beechcraft over the Caribbean
Sea; 4 persons. N844G

110. 1989, February 6: a Piper; after departing
Jacksonville, Florida; pilot despondent. 1. N6834J

111. 1990, January 24: Cessna 152 on instructional flight;
near West Palm Beach, FL. 2 persons. N4802B

112. 1990, June 5: Piper; St. Maarten to St. Croix; pilot.
N7202F

113. 1990, August 10: Piper; between Sebastian, FL. and
Freeport, GBI.; 4 persons. N6946D. Body found off
Virginia.

114. 1991, April 24: Piper Comanche; off Florida; pilot.
N8938P

115. 1991, May 30: near Long Boat Key; Piper signalled
directional gyro not working; spun into ocean; 2.
N6376P

116. 1991, October 31: Grumman Cougar jet; over Gulf of
Mexico; vanished on ascent while on radar; 2. N24WJ

117. 1993, September 30: Within Miami sector; Cessna
152, with only pilot on board. N93261

118. 1994, August 28: Piper PA-32; Treasure Cay,
Bahamas to Fort Pierce; 2 persons. N69118

119. 1994, September 19: Piper PA-23; over Caribbean; 5.
N6844Y

120. 1994, December 25: Piper PA-28; unknown; over
Florida; pilot. N5916V

121. 1996, May 2: Aero Commander; Atlantic/Caribbean;
vanished with 3 in charter service. N50GV

122. 1998, August 19: Piper PA-28; Atlantic\Caribbean; 4.
N25626

123. 1999. May 12, Aero Commander N6138X; near Nassau
only pilot aboard.

124. 2001, October 27, Cessna 172, after leaving
Winterhaven, Florida; only pilot aboard.

125. 2002, September 6, Piper Pawnee, southeast of
Nassua, Bahamas; only pilot on board. N59684

Bermuda Triangle plane mystery 'solved'



Two of the so-called Bermuda Triangle's most mysterious disappearances in the late 1940s may have been solved.


Scores of ships and planes are said to have vanished without trace over the decades in a vast triangular area of ocean with imaginary points in Bermuda, Florida and Puerto Rico.

But journalist Tom Mangold's new examination for the BBC provides plausible explanations for the disappearance of two British commercial planes in the area, with the loss of 51 passengers and crew.

One plane probably suffered from catastrophic technical failure as a result of poor design, while the other is likely to have run out of fuel.

Sixty years ago, commercial flights from London to Bermuda were new and perilous. It would require a refuelling stop on the Azores before the 2,000-mile flight to Bermuda, which at that time was the longest non-stop commercial overseas flight in the world.

The planes would have been operating at the limit of their range. Today planes arriving at the tiny Atlantic island have sufficient reserve fuel to divert to the US East Coast 700 miles away, in case of emergency.

And the planes of the post-war era were far less reliable than today's airliners.

British South American Airways (BSAA), which operated the route, had a grim safety record. In three years it had had 11 serious accidents and lost five planes with 73 passengers and 22 crew members killed.

Unsolved mystery

On 30 January 1948, a BSAA Avro Tudor IV plane disappeared without trace. Twenty-five passengers and a crew of six were on board The Star Tiger. No bodies or wreckage were found.

The official investigation into the disappearance concluded: "It may truly be said that no more baffling problem has ever been presented.

"What happened in this case will never be known and the fate of Star Tiger must remain an unsolved mystery."

But there are a number of clues in the official accident report that reveal the Star Tiger had encountered problems before it reached the Azores.

The aircraft's heater was notoriously unreliable and had failed en route, and one of the compasses was found to be faulty.

Probably to keep the plane warmer, the pilot had decided to fly the whole transatlantic route very low, at 2,000 feet, burning fuel at a faster rate.

On approaching Bermuda, Star Tiger was a little off course and had been flying an hour later than planned.

In addition, the official Ministry of Civil Aviation report considered that the headwinds faced by Star Tiger may have been much stronger than those forecast. This would have caused the fuel to burn more quickly.

"Flying at 2,000 feet they would have used up much more fuel," said Eric Newton, one of the Ministry of Civil Aviation's most senior air accident investigators, who reviewed the scenario for the BBC.

"At 2,000 feet you'd be leaving very little altitude for manoeuvre. In any serious in-flight emergency they could have lost their height in seconds and gone into the sea."

Whatever happened to the plane, it was sudden and catastrophic - there was no time to send an emergency signal.

The Avro Tudor IV was a converted warplane that was eventually taken out of passenger service because of its poor safety record. Only BSAA continued to fly the aircraft.

Gordon Store was chief pilot and manager of operations at BSAA. In an interview with his local newspaper last November, he said he had no confidence in the Tudor's engines.

"Its systems were hopeless… all the hydraulics, the air-conditioning equipment and the recycling fans were crammed together underneath the floor without any thought. There were fuel-burning heaters that would never work," he said.

Second accident

Almost a year to the day after the disappearance of the Star Tiger, another Avro Tudor IV belonging to BSAA vanished between Bermuda and Jamaica.

Exactly one hour after departure from Bermuda on 17 January 1949, the pilot of the Star Ariel sent a routine communication of his position. But then the plane vanished without trace at 18,000 feet.

According to experts, this would have required a sudden catastrophe.

Again, no wreckage, debris or bodies were ever found.

Fuel starvation at that height was not plausible, the weather report had been good, and pilot error was ruled out.

The plane's poor design may well have been to blame, according to Don Mackintosh, a former BSAA Tudor IV pilot. The cabin heater mounted underneath the floor where the co-pilot sat is his prime suspect.

At the time, aircraft heater technology was still in its infancy.

"The heater bled aviation fuel on to a hot tube - and was also fairly close to the hydraulic pipes," he says.

A pressure switch should have allowed the heater to operate when it was in the air but it was unreliable and was often deliberately short-circuited by staff, allowing the pilot manual control.

The switch prevented inflammable fuel from flowing, but if the heater was switched on manually, gas that may have collected could have ignited.

Captain Peter Duffey, a former BSAA pilot who went on to become a captain of British Airways Concorde, also believes that the proximity of the heater and the hydraulic pipes was significant.

"My theory is that hydraulic vapour escaped from a leak, which got on to a hot heater and caused an explosion," he says.

Mr Newton's report came to a similar conclusion: "If the heater had caught fire down below the floorboards then it could have developed to a catastrophic state before the crew knew anything about it.

"There was no automatic fire extinguisher to put it out like there is nowadays. There was no alarm where the heater was stored… so no-one would know, possibly until it was too late."

The official accident investigation discovered that because of a communications error, search and rescue teams were not despatched until seven and a half hours later.

By then what was left of the plane and the bodies would have sunk.

The report on the disappearance of the first plane, the Star Tiger, said something which, because it could be easily misinterpreted, helped the accident achieve notoriety.

In a moment of philosophical conjecture, the investigators mused that maybe "some external cause may (have) overwhelm(ed) both man and machine".

Those comments from sober-suited British civil servants opened the floodgates for conspiracy theorists, hack journalists and mischief makers, adding to the mystery of the Bermuda Triangle.

The "Mystery" of the Bermuda Triangle

The Bermuda Triangle (sometimes also referred to as the Devil's Triangle) is a stretch of the Atlantic Ocean bordered by a line from Florida to the islands of Bermuda, to Puerto Rico and then back to Florida. It is one of the biggest mysteries of our time - that perhaps isn't really a mystery.

The term "Bermuda Triangle" was first used in an article written by Vincent H. Gaddis for Argosy magazine in 1964. In the article, Gaddis claimed that in this strange sea a number of ships and planes had disappeared without explanation. Gaddis wasn't the first one to come to this conclusion, either. As early as 1952, George X. Sands, in a report in Fate magazine, noted what seemed like an unusually large number of strange accidents in that region.

In 1969 John Wallace Spencer wrote a book called Limbo of the Lost specifically about the Triangle and, two years later, a feature documentary on the subject, The Devil's Triangle, was released. These, along with the bestseller The Bermuda Triangle, published in 1974, permanently registered the legend of the "Hoodoo Sea" within popular culture.

Why do ships and planes seem to go missing in the region? Some authors suggested it may be due to a strange magnetic anomaly that affects compass readings (in fact they claim Columbus noted this when he sailed through the area in 1492). Others theorize that methane eruptions from the ocean floor may suddenly be turning the sea into a froth that can't support a ship's weight so it sinks (though there is no evidence of this type of thing happening in the Triangle for the past 15,000 years). Several books have gone as far as conjecturing that the disappearances are due to an intelligent, technologically advanced race living in space or under the sea.

Kusche's Theory:


n 1975 Larry Kusche, a librarian at Arizona State University, reached a totally different conclusion. Kusche decided to investigate the claims made by these articles and books. What he found he published in his own book entitled The Bermuda Triangle Mystery-Solved. Kusche had carefully dug into records other writers had neglected. He found that many of the strange accidents were not so strange after all. Often a Triangle writer had noted a ship or plane had disappeared in "calms seas" when the record showed a raging storm had been in progress. Others said ships had "mysteriously vanished" when their remains had actually been found and the cause of their sinking explained. In one case a ship listed missing in the Triangle actually had disappeared in the Pacific Ocean some 3,000 miles away! The author had confused the name of the Pacific port the ship had left with a city of the same name on the Atlantic coast. More significantly, a check of Lloyd's of London's accident records by the editor of Fate in 1975 showed that the Trianglewas no more dangerous than any other part of the ocean. U.S. Coast Guard records confirmed this and since that time no good arguments have ever been made to refute those statistics. So many argue that the Bermuda Triangle mystery has disappeared, in the same way many of its supposed victims vanished. Even though the Bermuda Triangle isn't a true mystery, this region of the sea certainly has had its share of marine tragedy. This region is one of the heaviest traveled areas of ocean in the world. Both small boats and commercial ships ply its waters along with airliners, military aircraft and private planes as they come to and from both the islands and more distant ports in Europe, South America and Africa. The weather in this region can make traveling hazardous also. The summer brings hurricanes while the warm waters of the Gulf Stream promote sudden storms. With this much activity in a relatively small region it isn't surprising that a large number of accidents occur. Some of the ones commonly connected to the Triangle story are:


The USS Cyclops Sinking:



One of the first stories connected to the Triangle legend and the most famous ship lost in the region was the USS Cyclops which disappeared in 1918. The 542 foot long Cyclops was launched in 1910 and served as a collier ( a ship that carries coal) for the U.S. Navy during World War I. The vessel was on its way from Bahia, Salvador, to Baltimore, Maryland, but never arrived. After it had made an unscheduled stop at Barbados on March 3rd and 4th to take on additional supplies, it disappeared without a trace. No wreckage from the ship was ever found and no distress signal was received. The deaths of the 306 crew and passengers of the USS Cyclops remains the single largest loss of life in U.S. Naval history not directly involving combat.
While the sinking of the Cyclops remains a mystery, the incident could have happened anywhere between Barbados and Baltimore, not necessarily in the Bermuda Triangle. Proponents of the Bermuda Triangle theory point to the lack of a distress call as evidence of a paranormal end for the vessel, but the truth is that wireless communications in 1918 were unreliable and it would not have been unusual for a rapidly-sinking vessel to not have had a chance to send a successful distress call before going under.

SS Marine Sulphur Queen Vanishes:

The SS Marine Sulphur Queen, a tanker ship carrying molten sulphur, disappeared off the southern coast of Florida in 1963. The crew of 39 was all lost and no wreckage from the tanker was ever found. While the disappearance of the ship is mentioned in several books about the Triangle, authors don't always include that the Coast Guard concluded that the vessel was in deplorable shape and should have never gone to sea at all. Fires erupted with regularity on the ship. Also, this class of vessel was known to have a "weak back", which means the keel would split when weakened by corrosion causing the ship to break in two. The ship's structure had been further compromised by a conversion from its original mission as an oil tanker to carrying molten sulphur. The conversion had left the vessel with an extremely high center of gravity, increasing the chance that it would capsize. The SS Marine Sulphur Queen was all-in-all a disaster waiting to happen and it seems unfair to blame its demise on the Bermuda Triangle.

The Disappearance of NC16002:

NC16002 was a DC-3 passenger plane that vanished on the night of December 28, 1948, during a flight from San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Miami, Florida. The weather was fine with high visibility and the flight was, according to the pilot, within 50 miles of Miami when it disappeared with its three crew members and twenty-nine passengers. Though no probable cause for the loss was determined by the official investigation, it is known that the plane's batteries were not fully charged on takeoff and this may have interfered with communications during the flight. A message from Miami to the plane that the direction of the wind had changed may have not been received by the pilot, causing him to fly up to fifty miles off course.

The Fate of Flight 19:

The tale of Flight 19 started on December 5th, 1945. Five Avenger torpedo bombers lifted into the air from the Naval Air Station at Fort Lauderdale, Florida, at 2:10 in the afternoon. It was a routine practice mission and the flight was composed of all students except for the Commander, a Lt. Charles Taylor.

The mission called for Taylor and his group of 13 men to fly due east 56 miles to Hens and Chicken Shoals to conduct practice bombing runs. When they had completed that objective, the flight plan called for them to fly an additional 67 miles east, and then turn north for 73 miles and finally straight back to base, a distance of 120 miles. This course would take them on a triangular path over the sea.

About an hour and a half after the flight had left, Lt. Robert Cox at the base picked up a radio transmission from Taylor. Taylor indicated that his compasses were not working, but he believed himself to be somewhere over the Florida Keys (the Keys are a long chain of islands south of the Florida mainland). Cox urged him to fly north toward Miami; if Taylor was sure the flight was over the Keys.

Planes today have a number of ways that they can check their current position including listening to a set of GPS (Global Positioning Satellites) in orbit around the earth. It is almost impossible for a pilot to get lost if he has the right equipment and uses it properly. In 1945, though, planes flying over water had to depend on knowing their starting point, how long and fast they had flown, and in what direction. If a pilot made a mistake with any of these figures, he was lost. Over the ocean there were no landmarks to set him right.


Navigational Confusion:


Apparently Taylor had become confused at some point in the flight. He was an experienced pilot, but hadn't spent a lot of time flying east toward the Bahamas which was where he was going on that day. For some reason Taylor apparently thought the flight had started out in the wrong direction and had headed south toward the Keys, instead of east. This thought was to color his decisions throughout the rest of the flight with deadly results.

The more Taylor took his flight north to try to get out of the Keys, the further out to sea the Avengers actually traveled. As time went on, snatches of transmissions were picked up on the mainland indicating the other Flight 19 pilots were trying to get Taylor to change course. "If we would just fly west," one student told another, "we would get home." He was right.

By 4:45 P.M. it was obvious to the people on the ground that Taylor was hopelessly lost. He was urged to turn control of the flight over to one of his students, but apparently he didn't. As it grew dark, communications deteriorated. From the few words that did get through it was apparent Taylor was still flying north and east, the wrong direction.

At 5:50 P.M. the ComGulf Sea Frontier Evaluation Center managed get a fix on Flight 19's weakening signals. It was apparently east of New Smyrna Beach, Florida. By then communications were so poor that this information could not be passed to the lost planes.

At 6:20 a Dumbo flying boat was dispatched to try and find Flight 19 and guide it back. Within the hour two more planes, Martin Mariners, joined the search. Hope was rapidly fading for Flight 19 by then. The weather was getting rough and the Avengers were very low on fuel.

Two Martin Mariners were supposed to rendezvous at the search zone. The second one, designated Training 49, never showed up, joining the 5 Avengers as "missing."

The last transmission from Flight 19 was heard at 7:04 P.M. Planes searched the area through the night and the next day. There was no sign of the Avengers.

Nor did the authorities really expect to find much. The Avengers, crashing when their fuel was exhausted, would have been sent to the bottom in seconds by the 50 foot waves of the storm. As one of Taylor's colleagues noted, "...they didn't call those planes 'Iron Birds' for nothing. They weighed 14,000 pounds empty. So when they ditched, they went down pretty fast."


What happened to the missing Martin Mariner? Well, the crew of the SS Gaines Mill observed an explosion over the water shortly after the Mariner had taken off. They headed toward the site and there they saw what looked like oil and airplane debris floating on the surface. None of it was recovered because of the bad weather, but there seems little doubt this was the remains of the Mariner. The plane had a reputation as being a "flying bomb" which would burst into flame from even a single, small spark. Speculation is that one of 22 men on board, unaware that the unpressurized cabin contained gas fumes, lit a cigarette, causing the explosion.

Missing Avengers become the Triangle's "Lost Squadron":

So how did this tragedy turn into a Bermuda Triangle mystery? The Navy's original investigation concluded the accident had been caused by Taylor's navigational confusion. According to those that knew him he was a good pilot, but often navigated "flying by the seat of his pants" and had gotten lost in the past. Taylor's mother refused to accept that and finally got the Navy to change the report to read that the disaster was for "causes or reasons unknown." This may have spared the woman's feelings, but blurred the actual facts.

The saga of Flight 19 is probably the most repeated story about the Bermuda Triangle. Vincent Gaddis put the tale into the same Argosy magazine article where he coined the term "Bermuda Triangle" in 1964 and thetwo have been connected ever since. The planes and their pilots even found their way into the science fiction film classic, Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

Where is Flight 19 now? Well, in 1991 five Avengers were found in 750 feet of water off the coast of Florida by the salvage ship Deep Sea. Examination of the plane's ID numbers, however, showed that they were not from Flight 19 (as many as 139 Avengers were thought to have gone into the water off the coast of Florida during the war). It seems the final resting place of the lost squadron and their crews is still a real Bermuda Triangle mystery.







The Bermuda Triangle: A Selective Bibligraphy

Adams, Michael R. "Texaco Oklahoma: Another Bermuda Triangle Victim?" U.S. Naval Institute Proceedings 102, no.3 (March 1976): 109-110.

The Bermuda Triangle: A Collection of Articles From the Brevard County Federated Library System. Merritt Island FL: Brevard County Federated Library System, cl975. OCLC 15432889.

The Bermuda Triangle: An Annotated Bibliography. Buffalo NY: B & ECPL Librarians Assn. and the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library, cl975. OCLC 2653229.

Brock, Paul. "They Sailed Into Oblivion." The Lookout [Seamen's Church Institute of N.Y.] 62, no.3 (Apr. 1971): 3-4, 11.

Burgess, Robert Forrest. Sinkings, Salvages, and Shipwrecks. New York: American Heritage Press, cl970. OCLC 104609.

Charroux, Robert. Forgotten Worlds: Scientific Secrets of the Ancients and Their Warning for Our Time. New York: Popular Library, cl973. OCLC 10352111.

Dolan, Edward F. The Bermuda Triangle and Other Mysteries of Nature. New York: Bantam, cl980. OCLC 7899556.

Edwards, Frank. Stranger Than Science. Secaucus NJ: Citadel Press, cl987. OCLC 24472013.

Gaddis, Vincent H. Invisible Horizons: True Mysteries of the Sea. Philadelphia PA: Chilton, 1965. OCLC 681276.

Gaffron, Norma. The Bermuda Triangle: Opposing Viewpoints. San Diego CA: Greenhaven Press, cl995. OCLC 29848261.

Godwin, John. This Baffling World. New York: Bantam Books, cl968. OCLC 3621448.

Hoehling, Adolph A. They Sailed Into Oblivion. New York: T. Yoseloff, C1959. OCLC 1675249.

Keyhoe, Donald E. The Flying Saucer Conspiracy. New York: Holt, cl955. OCLC 721456.

Kusche, Larry. The Bermuda Triangle Mystery--Solved. Buffalo NY: Prometheus Books, cl986. OCLC 13439973.

Landsburg, Alan. In Search of Ancient Mysteries. New York: Bantam Books, cl974. OCLC 849943.

McDonell, Michael. "Lost Patrol." Naval Aviation News (Jun. 1973): 8-16.

Rosenberg, Howard L. "Exorcising the Devills Triangle" Sealift [Military Sealift Command] 24, no.6 (June 1974): 11-16.

Sanderson, Ivan Terence. Invisible Residents: A Disquisition Upon Certain Matters Maritime, and the Possibility of intelligent Life Under the Waters of This Earth. New York: World Pub. Co., cl970. OCLC 110221.

_____. More Things. New York: Pyramid Books, cl969. OCLC 6449730.

Spencer, John Wallace. Limbo of the Lost -- Today: Actual Stories of the Sea. New York: Bantam Books, cl975. OCLC 2472652.

Stancil, Carol F. The Bermuda Triangle: An Annotated Bibliography. Los Angeles: Reference Section, College Library, UCLA, cl973. OCLC 14197265.

Stewart, Oliver. Danger in the Air. New York: Philosophical Library, cl958. OCLC 1997220.

Titler, Dale Milton. Wings of Mystery: True Stories of Aviation History. New York: Dodd Mead, cl981. OCLC 7282120.

Upchurch, C. Winn. "Jinxed Seas." U.S, Coast Guard Academy Alumni Bulletin (1970): 40-45.

Wilkins, Harold Tom. Strange Mysteries of Time and Space. New York:Citadel Press, cl958. OCLC 1906564.

Winer, Richard. The Devil's Triangle. New York: Bantam Books, cl974. OCLC 1062766.

This bibliography is intended to provide research assistance only, and does not imply any opinion concerning the subject on the part of the US Navy.

12 May 1996

Portal to Another Dimension:

Another interesting theory about the Bermuda Triangle area is that certain places there serve as portals to other dimensions. The sheer number of credible eyewitness UFO reports makes this an area warranting serious further study with respect to either permanent or ever-changing possible portal sites. Credible scientists making careful observations in the area have reported anomalies in magnetism and gravitational forces here that cannot be explained by conventional physics, introducing the possibility that there is a dynamic opening and closing of other dimensional doorways in the vicinity.

In summary, the Bermuda Triangle is a fascinating area with a rich history that does seem to be conducive to supernatural phenomena in some respects, though further analytical study is definitely needed. There is speculation that the US government is already conducting covert tests in the Bahamas area, specifically Bimini, though exactly what they are looking for is as much a mystery as the area itself. Indeed, the famous "Bimini Road" is located on this island, where some say portions of the ruins of Atlantis can be seen in the clear shallow water. The National Geographic Society is reportedly investigating the reports of the lost city beneath the waters off Cuba, but they have not made any public announcements about what they have found to date. We will be keeping an eye on this development, so do check back often for further information.

The Lost Continent of Atlantis:

Speculation that Atlantis was located in or very near the area of the Bermuda Triangle is probably the most interesting aspect of the Bermuda Triangle phenomena. Mainly because of psychic Edgar Cayce's revelations, the Bahamas and surrounding sea in particular have been pinpointed as a likely site for this lost continent. Speculation has it that if the water was lowered in the area by 300 feet or so, the dimensions and topology originally described by Plato would match almost exactly. Indeed, a report in 2001 of an underwater city that has been found off the western tip of Cuba may shed some light on this mystery. It could be that the continent encompassed the entire Caribbean area and that the land forms we know today are the highest mountain peaks of that lost civilization.Unexplained variations in compass readings other than those attributable to normal compass variation discussed above have been reported in the Caribbean area, and most agree that psychic energy is very high here. Some suggest that the Bermuda Triangle phenomena is directly related to sunken batteries or crystals from the lost continent of Atlantis still emitting energies from the ocean floor.

Electromagnetism:

Certainly electromagnetism has played a role in the mystery surrounding the Bermuda Triangle. This is one of only two places in the world where the compass points true north. However, the fact is that as you circumnavigate the earth you find compass variations of up to 22 percent at various locations. At first glance, this does not seem significant in any real sense, but again, if one looked worldwide very closely, this points to a strong vortex of some sort within the Bermuda Triangle area. We are continuing research in this area and will post updates soon.

Bermuda Triangle and Dajjal (Urdu)


Bermuda Triangle and Dajjal (Urdu)
However, even if every one of these stories were found to be attributable to human error or natural phenomena, the area is still fascinating for other reasons, not the least of which includes speculation that it encompasses the lost continent of Atlantis, and that it is a doorway to other dimensions. There is also speculation that the seabed in this area contains huge amounts of methane gas that is released suddenly due to changes in the sea bed, releasing large, unpredictable plumes of gas that have the capability to swallow ships or planes within minutes - without a trace.

One interesting theory is that the Bermuda Triangle is just one of many "vile vortices" that exist in both hemispheres all over the globe, a subject that we are researching and will publish more information on very soon.

Rather than dredging through the reports of disappearances, we are going to attempt to look at the area of the Bermuda Triangle with all it's anomalies and try to make some sense of it all on this page. There are several interesting aspects of the area that warrant a closer look:
The Bermuda Triangle or "Devil's Triangle" is a triangular-shaped area off the coast of Florida that is famous for reports in which strange disappearances occur and magnetic compasses go haywire. The area is situated in the Atlantic Ocean and is generally thought of as having apexes at Miami, Bermuda, and San Juan. This area contains some of the deepest sub-oceanic trenches in the world, encompasses the fast-moving waters of the Gulf Stream, and has frequent strong water spouts and violent storms, making at least some of the reported odd phenomena attributable to human error or mishap.

The US Coast Guard acknowledges the fact that there are definite environmental anomalies in this area, but goes on to say that human error is by far the more bizarre phenomena that happens in these waters. The area sustains heavy traffic, both by air and by sea, and certainly accidents are bound to happen. Inexperienced mariners or pilots who don't take into account variations in compass readings or environmental anomalies in the area can and do get into serious trouble, accounting for many of the unexplained disappearances in the area.
Bermuda Triangle

The infamous ‘Bermuda Triangle’ is a region located in the northwestern Atlantic Ocean. It is one of the two places on earth where a compass will not point to true, magnetic north. A lot of people hold that the laws of physics do not apply here! Over the course of several years, Bermuda Triangle has devoured so many aircrafts and ships passing through it that it has come to be called the ‘Devil’s Triangle’.

A lot has been said and written about it. Numerous documentaries attempting to investigate the Bermuda Triangle have been made and screened. What resulted as consequence is a mix of facts, theories, mysteries and myths associated with the infamous Bermuda Triangle. But, never one solid consistent explanation! So read to apprise yourself about different aspects of the Bermuda Triangle.

Bermuda Triangle Interesting Facts

Location - The Bermuda Triangle or the Devil’s Triangle is located around the east coast of Florida and Peurto Rico. A little portion of this triangle also spills into the area next to South Carolina.

Absolute Location – Spread over a huge body of water in the Atlantic Ocean, the Bermuda Triangle does not possess a definite absolute location. But it can be said to lie in-between 80-90 degrees west and 30-20 degrees north.

Bermuda Triangle is infamous For - Over 66 airplanes and ships passing through the Bermuda Triangle have been known to have got sucked into down forever. No information was derived about them. The most notorious disappearance was that of an airplane by the name ‘Flight 19’. It disappeared some 30 years ago and has not been seen since.

Description - The Bermuda Triangle is a windy, but sunny region. Winds blowing over the region have a speed of around 10 miles m.p.h. The region does not have distinct seasons.

Bermuda Triangle Mystery & Myths

More than a 100 separate mysterious disappearances of aircrafts and ships are known to have occurred in the Bermuda Triangle region. Some really gigantic vessels like the USS Cyclops and the SS Marine Sulphur Queen have got lost in it.

Famous Italian explorer, Christopher Columbus jotted down many gripping recordings in his dairy during his journey of the Devil's Triangle in 1492. He mentioned about weird magnetic deviances in his navigation instruments. Unusual lights were noticed on the horizon. The Italian explorer has also talked about a ‘great flame of fire’ in his writings that crashed into the ocean.

A mysterious episode took place in 1872. A vessel ‘Mary Celeste’ had left for Genoa on 7 November 1872. On 4 December 1872, the crew on the Dei Gratia spotted this vessel and was alarmed by how randomly it was sailing. When they approached the ship, they found it entirely vacant. Even the lifeboat was not to be found despite the fact that the ship was otherwise in perfect condition.

The vanishing of Flight 19 tops the Bermuda Triangle collection of myths and mysteries. On 5 December 1945, five Navy Avengers went missing while on a standard training mission in the Atlantic. The patrol leader, Lt. Charles Taylor had radioed Florida the following strange message - "Control tower this is an emergency. We seem to be off course. We seem to be lost. We can't make out where we are". When instructed to turn the ship towards the west, he replied "Everything looks wrong, even the ocean looks strange". A Navy search was set out into the Atlantic that went on for weeks, but no trace was ever found of the aircraft or crew. The search team included a Martin Mariner, which blew up just after 23 minutes into its flight.

On 27 December 1948, a commercial flight flying from Puerto Rico towards Florida met with a similar fate. NC-16002 DC-3 radioed Miami that they were 50 miles out and all set to accept landing instructions. After Miami radioed back the instructions, it waited for a reply of confirmation but none came. After three hours, a search and rescue team was dispatched to trace the missing aircraft. No trace, what so ever, was found!

Bermuda Triangle Theories

A lot of authors, who have written on the Bermuda Triangle, have put forward supernatural theories to explain the disappearance of various ships and places in this region.

One such explanation theory for Bermuda Triangle episode puts blame on leftover technology from the lost continent of Atlantis. At times the submerged rock formation called ‘Bimini Road’ off the island of Bimini in the Bahamas is linked to the Atlantis story. The Bimini Road is believed to exist within the Bermuda Triangle as per some theories.

There are other writers about the Bermuda Triangle who associate the events to UFOs. This idea was used in the Hollywood film ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind’ by famous director Steven Spielberg. It features the lost ‘Flight 19’ as being abducted by the aliens.

Charles Berlitz, the grandson of an illustrious linguist and author of many additional books on anomalous phenomena, too has commented on these extraordinary events. He has explained the losses in the Devil’s Triangle to anomalous or unexplained forces.