The Legend of the Bermuda Triangle
The Triangle, located in the western part of the North Atlantic Ocean, is roughly bounded by Miami, Bermuda, and Puerto Rico.
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Also known as the Devil’s Triangle, the region covers over 440,000 miles of sea and serves as a busy shipping route for vessels bringing goods to America, Europe, and the Caribbean.
Planes and Ships Go Missing
Over the years, numerous vessels and aircraft have vanished without a trace in the Triangle, leading to speculation about the area’s mysterious powers.
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One of the most famous cases involved a group of U.S. Navy planes known as Flight 19, which vanished during a training mission in the Triangle in 1945.
The Disappearance of Navy Bombers
Another terrifying disappearance occurred on December 5, 1945, when Flight 19, a group of five US Air Force Avenger torpedo bombers, vanished from the face of the Earth when flying over the Bermuda Triangle.
Navy Bomber
Despite the US Military’s best efforts, no trace of the pilots was ever found, making this one of the greatest mysteries of the era.
Crew Members Missing
In total, all 14 airmen involved in the training exercise were lost. A further 13 crew members aboard the Martin PBM Mariner flying boat also went missing when they were displaced to locate Flight 19.
The disappearances remained a mystery until a scientific investigation was carried out. The result of which were shared with the world during an episode of “History’s Greatest Mysteries” on the History Channel in 2021.
Important Discovery
Following a lengthy year-long scientific mission near the Bermuda Triangle, researchers made an “important discovery,” according to The Express.
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Lead underwater explorer Mike Barnette spoke on the nature of the find, stating, “We see this round piece of wreckage with teeth, like for gears. I’m thinking to myself, this looks like a turret. Emotions are running off the chart. Could this be an Avenger?”
Researchers Discover the Wreckage of an Avenger
Upon further inspection, the team discovered the remains of what they claim to be one of the Avenger bombers from Flight 19 that went missing all those years ago.
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Regarding the mysterious circumstances under which Flight 19 disappeared, Barnette said, “That’s a real question. We don’t know yet because a lot of people don’t realize that there are hundreds of aircraft lost off this coast of Florida.”
Could it Really Be Flight 19?
According to Barnette, it’s difficult to say for sure whether the wreckage they encountered is part of Flight 19. Much of the remainseverelye badly deteriorated after nearly eight decades in the water.
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“This potentially might not be one of the Avengers from Flight 19, but it still has a story to tell, and by knowing what this aircraft is, we know where Flight 19 isn’t,” he said.
Nothing Paranormal Says, Researcher
While the Bermuda Triangle is thought to harbour some unusual paranormal activity, researchers such as Barnette aren’t so sure about these accusations.
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He believes the wreckage of Flight 19 is still out there somewhere. But, the Avenger bombers didn’t fall out of the sky following “Close Encounters of the Third Kind.” He added: “Not one bit. I rank it with the Easter bunny and the tooth fairy.”
The Mystery Continues to Haunt Researchers
Nonetheless, several aspects of the disappearances continue to send chills down the spines of those who dig into the case. One terrifying aspect is the final message sent out by Flight 19.
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It reads, “We can’t tell where we are. Everything is. We can’t make out anything. We think we may be about 225 miles northeast of the base. It looks like we are entering white water. We’re completely lost.”
Another Unsolved Mystery of Bermuda
Several decades before Flight 19 went missing, a navy vessel had been passing through the region when it vanished, never to be heard of again.
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The USS Cyclops, a ship built to haul coal for the US Navy’s numerous steam-powered vessels, went missing in 1918 along with all 309 of her crew. It remains one of the greatest unsolved mysteries of the 20th century.
Colliers Kept the Navy Afloat
During the early part of the 20th century, many of the largest warships in the US Navy’s fleet were powered by coal, not oil. So, to keep a fresh supply of coal readily available, the Navy built transportation vessels known as colliers.
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Colliers carried thousands of tons of coal on their voyages, transferring up to two tons at a time to other Navy vessels when required. The doomed USS Cyclops was one such collier.
The USS Cyclops
Fully loaded, the USS Cyclops could carry close to 19,360 tons of coal. While its purpose was simple in nature, the ship’s lack of mechanization required a steady crew of around 300 people to man it.
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When deployed, the Cyclops served the U.S. Navy’s Naval Overseas Transport Service and supplied major seaports with tons of coal that would later be used by warships.
The Final Voyage
The ship had completed a drop to the South American Patrol Squadron in Rio de Janeiro, supplying the seaport with close to 10,000 tons of coal.
Source: Pond5
The USS Cyclops later picked up 11,000 tons of manganese, a metal used in the production of iron and steel, and headed for the dropoff in Baltimore, Maryland. However, it would never make it home.
The Disappearance of the USS Cyclops
According to reports, the Cyclops made what some called an unplanned stop in Barbados to pick up coal. After this, it sailed south rather than north, the direction of its destination in Baltimore.
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This was the last time the Cyclops or her crew of 300 members were ever seen.
The Fate of the Cyclops
Over the past century, numerous theories have arisen about the fate of the ship and her crew. Yet, the vessel never recovered, leading to much speculation as to what truly happened.
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A radio on the ship was manned 24 hours per day. However, no distress signal was ever sent out, which only deepened the mystery.
Theories Surrounding the Disappearance
The most popular theory suggests that a freak wave or storm is responsible for the ship’s disappearance. Some have even suggested that such an event broke the ship in two, and its hefty cargo sunk it to the bottom of the ocean.
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However, according to experts, there is no evidence to suggest that such an event happened. Scientists revealed there was no record of intense seismic activity in the region during the disappearance.
Will the USS Cyclops Ever Be Discovered?
The Cyclops is typically regarded as the last major US warship that lies undiscovered at the depths of the ocean, following a string of recent finds, such as the USS Indianapolis.
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It’s likely the USS Cyclops will be discovered in the future, and this mystery may be put to be once and for all. But as for now, the unusual circumstances surrounding its disappearance continue to intrigue many people around the world.
Explanations Behind the Disappearances
There are many theories behind what truly happened to the USS Cyclops, Flight 19, and all of the missing crew members from both events.
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Hundreds of other unusual disappearances have occurred over the last century in and around the Bermuda Triangle, leading many to suggest that something supernatural is happening in the region.
The Devil Triangle is a Vortex
According to some, the region is a portal or vortex, leading the missing people to another dimension.
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Proponents of this theory point to the numerous ships and planes that have vanished without a single trace in the Bermuda Triangle. Many of the missing vessels and aircraft have left behind no wreckage that could be used to explain the disappearances.
Natural Disappearances
Most people, however, believe the disappearances in the Bermuda Triangle were the result of natural occurrences. These include rogue waves, methane hydrates, and hurricanes.
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The ocean is a deadly place, and rogue waves, also known as “freak waves” or “monster waves,” are giant waves that can reach up to 100 feet in height and come out of nowhere, causing ships to capsize and even sink.
Geomagnetic Anomalies
Despite the opinions of scientists and researchers, many people continue to theorize that something unnatural is occurring in the Bermuda Triangle.
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Geomagnetic anomalies continue to pique interest in the region. Many suggest that the Earth’s electromagnetic field functions differently inside its boundaries, which could play a significant role in the disappearances.
Scientist Claims Bermuda Triangle is All Hype
According to Australian scientist and author Dr. Karl Kruszelnicki, the Bermuda Triangle isn’t as mysterious as legends make it out to be. He suggested that just as many ships go missing here as in any other part of the world.
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“Some years a bit more, some years a bit less,” he said. “But it averages out the same.”
The Mystery Continues
Despite the opinions of scientists and researchers, many people continue to theorize that something unnatural is occurring in the Bermuda Triangle. Geomagnetic anomalies continue to pique interest in the region, with many suggesting that the Earth’s electromagnetic field functions differently inside its boundaries.
Source: Freepik
As things stand, there are plenty more mysteries surrounding the Bermuda Triangle, and those investigating have yet to come up with any single theory that can explain the hundreds of missing people that have vanished within.