THE BERMUDA TRIANGLE: FACT OR FICTION?

THE DEVIL’S TRIANGLE The Bermuda Triangle is an area of the Atlantic Ocean created by a line from Florida to the Bermuda Islands, to Puerto Rico and then back to Florida. This comprises an area of approximately 500,000 square miles. It’s considered to be one of the biggest mysteries of our time – that may not be a mystery at all!

A 5-masted schooner was found abandoned off the coast of Cape Hatteras, N.C. in 1921 with its crew mysteriously missing. The vessel had been carrying cargo in route to Brazil. The ship had last been sighted when it hailed the lighthouse at Cape Lookout. Three days later the ship was sighted run aground. Due to bad weather, authorities were unable to board the ship for another four days where it became clear that it had been completely abandoned. THE CAROLL A. DEERING

In 1963 a T2 tanker converted to carry molten sulphur disappeared off the coast of southern Florida taking the lives of 39 crew members. Even though some debris was recovered, life boats were never found. SS MARINE SULPHUR QUEEN

Another report of unexplained activity within this area was in 1945 when Flight 19 made up of five US Navy Avenger bombers, on a training mission, disappeared without a trace. The flight leader was reported to have said, “We are entering white water. Nothing seems right. We don’t know where we are. The water is green, no white.”

According to some theorists, everything from supernatural elements to extraterrestrial beings to UFOs to inhabitants of the Lost City of Atlantis are responsible for these disappearances.

EXPLAINING THE UNEXPLAINED However, ALL of these disappearances can be explained. Even though there was a series of particularly vicious hurricanes, it’s believed that the Deering was the result of a mutiny or piracy. The SS Marine Sulphur Queen was, in all likelihood, lost due to an explosion. As a result, T2 tankers were no longer converted to carry molten sulphur. A sister ship was also lost due to an explosion. In the case of Flight 19, the Navy believed they went off course, ran out of fuel, and were forced to ditch their planes.

THE BERMUDA TRIANGLE MYSTERY: SOLVED According to Larry David Kusche, a research librarian at Arizona State University, there are many different explanations for the disappearances and ocurrences:  The number of missing ships and aircraft within this area is not significantly greater in proportion to other areas around the world.  This is an area frequented by tropical storms and often the reports of calm weather were in direct contrast with meteorological records.  The numbers themselves were exaggerated. For example, a ship that was reported lost was often later accounted for. “The U.S. Coast Guard and other experts familiar with the triangle discount supernatural elements as being responsible. Instead, they point to the fact that the triangle is situated in a heavily traveled area of the ocean. They say that the number of incidents that occur there are no greater than those that occur in other parts of the ocean. They feel that any number of natural occurrences - including tropical storms and rogue waves – could be responsible. They also point to the possibility of pirates and mechanical failures.“

FACT OR FICTION? YOU DECIDE …

WORKS CITED Berlitz, Charles. The Bermuda Triangle. New York: Harper Collins Print. “Bermuda Triangle.” World Book Encyclopedia. Chicago, IL: World Book Print. “The Bermuda Triangle.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 28 Oct Web. 29 Oct 2012.