The Bermuda Triangle has always been a subject of mystery. For hundreds of years, ships and planes have disappeared in the area and to this day, nobody knows exactly what happened. Because of this, the Bermuda Triangle has been the subject of urban legends and multiple conspiracy theories dating back to the mid-19th century.
Source: LoanSocieties
But researchers at the University of Southampton, England, think they have found a logical explanation for all the mysteries that have happened in the Bermuda Triangle. Read on to see what they have discovered.
Where is the Bermuda Triangle?
The Bermuda Triangle is a triangular area in the North Atlantic Ocean. It got its name from the perfect triangle that connects the boundaries of Florida, Bermuda, and the Greater Antilles. Generally speaking, there is really nothing wrong with this huge stretch of water connecting the three islands.
Source: Wikipedia
But the area has earned itself an ominous reputation because of a huge number of unexplained disappearances. Over 50 ships and 20 airplanes have disappeared under mysterious circumstances in the Bermuda Triangle and no wreckage has been found to this day.
The first recorded incident
Did you know that the mysteries of the Bermuda Triangle date back to the days of Christopher Columbus? The first recorded mystery in the Bermuda Triangle was written in the journal of Columbus himself.
Source: Pixabay
In his journal, Columbus wrote that his compass went crazy while in the area and that he and his crew noticed strange lights in the water when it happened. Fortunately, their ship, the Santa Maria was able to make a landing at Guanahani after the incident.
The first recorded disappearance
But the first recorded disappearance in the Bermuda Triangle was the USS Pickering, a topsail schooner. The disappearance happened in 1800. The USS Pickering sailed from New Castle, Delaware, and was never heard of again.
Source: Wikipedia
The ship, along with the soldiers aboard it vanished without a trace. People have theorized that the ship sank because of a strong gale that occurred that year but there is no solid proof of it. The exact cause still remains a mystery.
Ghost ship spotted
In 1881, the Ellen Austin sets off from Liverpool, headed to New York. Most of the passengers were immigrants who wanted the American dream. The ship had been sailing for several weeks when the captain decided to make an unplanned shortcut.
Source: Unsplash
This shortcut made the ship pass through the Bermuda Triangle. While crossing the area, the captain saw a ghost ship from afar. The captain waited two days until they boarded the strange ship but it was completely empty. It seemed like the entire crew had disappeared.
No traces left behind
In March 1918, the USS Cyclops started its journey toward Barbados. The ship had 309 people on board. The trip started off as planned but once the ship crossed the Bermuda Triangle, the ship vanished.
Source: LoanSocieties
These are just some of the mysterious phenomena involving ships that happened in the Bermuda Triangle. Most shipwrecks would leave traces and sometimes survivors but in the Bermuda Triangle, this barely happens.
Aircraft disappeared too
And it turns out the strange phenomena do not only happen to ships. On December 5, 1945, five Avenger torpedo bombers were doing a post-WWII training mission. The bombers flew over the Atlantic Ocean and their path made them cross the Bermuda Triangle.
Source: LoanSocieties
The bombers and the 14 men onboard disappeared. The air control station could no longer contact them. The group of planes was dubbed Flight 19. Nothing has been heard from them after the US Navy air support station lost contact with them.
The search party also vanished
When Flight 19 disappeared, the US Navy sent the Martin PBM Mariner to conduct a search party. It had 13 crew members and their mission was to look for Flight 19. The search party ended up vanishing as well.
Source: Wikipedia
Nobody knew what happened to Flight 19 and the Martin PBM Mariner that followed it. The fact that the Bermuda Triangle is a hotspot for disappearing ships was scary enough. But now that even aircraft are affected, this made the Bermuda Triangle a zone to be feared.