Bermuda Triangle
History and Incidents
History
The first mention of disappearances is in the area was made in
1950 by E.V.W. Jones as a sidebar on the Associated Press wire
service regarding recent ship losses. Jones' article notes the
"mysterious disappearances" of ships, airplanes and small boats in
the region, and ascribes it the name "The Devil's Triangle". It was
next mentioned in 1952 in a Fate Magazine article by George X. Sand,
who outlined several "strange marine disappearances". The term
"Bermuda Triangle" was popularized by Vincent Gaddis in a 1964
Argosy feature.
The area achieved its current fame largely through the efforts of
Charles Berlitz in his 1974 book The Bermuda Triangle (right) and
its subsequent film adaptation. The book recounts a long series of
mysterious disappearances of ships and aircraft, in particular the
December 1945 loss of five U.S. Navy Avenger torpedo bombers in the
infamous Flight 19 incident.
The book was a bestseller and included several theories about the
cause of the disappearances, including accidents due to high traffic
volumes; natural storms; "temporal holes"; the lost empire of
Atlantis; transportation by extraterrestrial technology; and other
natural or supernatural causes.
Skeptical responses
The marine insurer Lloyd's of London has determined the
"triangle" to be no more dangerous than any other area of ocean, and
does not charge unusual rates for passage through the region. Coast
Guard records confirm their conclusion.
Skeptics comment that the disappearance of a train between two
stops would be more convincing evidence of paranormal activity, and
the fact that such things do not occur suggests that paranormal
explanations are not needed for the disappearance of ships and
airplanes in the far less predictable open ocean.
Kusche's research
Intrigued by the number of students coming to him looking for
information about the Bermuda Triangle, Lawrence Kusche, a reference
librarian with Arizona State University at the time of the Flight 19
incident, began an exhaustive follow-up investigation of the
original reports. His findings were eventually published in 1975 as
The Bermuda Triangle Mystery: Solved.
Kusche's research revealed a number of inaccuracies and
inconsistencies between Berlitz's accounts and statements from
eyewitnesses, participants and others involved in the initial
incidents. He noted cases where pertinent information went
unreported, such as the disappearance of round-the-world yachtsman
Donald Crowhurst which Berlitz had presented as a mystery, despite
clear evidence that Crowhurst had fabricated the accounts of his
voyage and had probably committed suicide. Another example was the
ore-carrier Berlitz recounted as lost without trace three days out
of an Atlantic port when it had been lost three days out of a port
with the same name in the Pacific Ocean. Kusche also argued that a
large percentage of the incidents attributed to the Bermuda
Triangle's mysterious influence actually occurred well outside it.
Kusche came to several conclusions:
The number of ships and airplanes reported missing in the area
was not significantly greater, proportionally speaking, than any
other part of the ocean.
In an area frequented by tropical storms, the number of
disappearances that did occur was neither disproportionate,
unlikely, nor mysterious.
The numbers themselves had been exaggerated by sloppy research. A
boat listed as missing would be reported, but not necessarily its
eventual, if belated, return to port.
The circumstances of confirmed disappearances were frequently
misreported in Berlitz's accounts. The numbers of ships disappearing
in supposedly calm weather, for instance, did not tally with weather
reports published at the time.
Dr. Raymond's Brown's alleged experience
In 1970, Dr. Ray Brown, a naturopathic practitioner from Mesa,
Arizona, went scuba diving with some friends near the Bari Islands
in the Bahamas, close to a popular area known as the Tongue of the
Ocean.
During one of his dives, Brown became separated from his friends
and while searching for them he was startled when he came across a
strange pyramid shape silhouetted against the aquamarine light.
Upon investigating further, Brown was surprised by how smooth and
mirror-like was the stone surface of the whole structure, with the
joints between the individual blocks almost indiscernible.
Swimming around the capstone, which Brown thought might have
beenmade of lapis lazuli, he discovered an entrance and decided to
explore inside. Passing along a narrow hallway, Brown finally came
to a small rectangular room with a pyramid-shaped ceiling. He was
totally amazed that this room contained no algae or coral growing on
the inner walls. In addition, though Brown had brought no torch with
him, the area was well lit by an unknown source.
Brown's attention was drawn to a brassy metallic rod three inches
in diameter hanging down from the apex of the center of the room and
at its end was attached a many-faceted red gem, which tapered to a
point. Directly below this rod and gem, sitting in the middle of the
room, was a stand of carved stone topped by a stone plate with
scrolled ends. On the plate there was a pair of carved metal
bronze-colored hands, life-sized, which appeared blackened and
burnt, as if having been subjected to tremendous heat.
Nestled in the hands, and situated four feet directly below the
ceiling rod gem point, was a crystal sphere four inches in diameter.
Brown tried to loosen the ceiling rod and red gemstone but neither
would budge. Returning to the crystal sphere, he found, to his
amazement, that it separated easily from the bronze hand holders.
With the crystal sphere in his right hand he then made his way out
of the pyramid. As he departed, Brown felt an unseen presence and
heard a voice telling him never to return.
Fearing, rightly, that his unusual prize might be confiscated as
salvage-treasure by the American Government, Dr. Brown did not
reveal the existence of his strange crystal sphere, nor did he
relate his experiences until 1975, when he exhibited his crystal for
the first time at a psychic seminar in Phoenix.
Since that time, the crystal sphere has made only a very few
public appearances but on each occasion people who have seen it have
experienced strange phenomena directly associated with it.
Deep inside the crystal form, one gazes upon three pyramidical
images, one in front of the other, in decreasing sizes. Some people
who enter a deep meditative state of consciousness are able to
discern a fourth pyramid, in the foreground of the other three.
Reality is metaphoric. 3 or pyramid = third dimension. 4 = time.
The colors red and brown symbolize the physical plane. Electrical -
reality is created by electromagnetic grids.
Perhaps the positions of the three pyramidical images in the
crystal sphere hold the long-sought key to finding a fourth, as yet
unfound. Looking at the crystal sphere from the side, the internal
images dissolve into thousands of tiny fracture lines. Brown felt
that these may prove to be electrical in nature, like some form of
microscopic circuitry. From yet another angle, and under special
conditions, many people have been able to see a large single human
eye staring out serenely at them. Photographs of this eye have
allegedly also been taken.
Elizabeth Bacon, a New York psychic, claimed, while in trance,
that the crystal sphere had once belonged to Thoth, the Egyptian God
who was responsible for burying a secret vault of knowledge in Giza,
near the three great Pyramids.
This theory at best is metaphoric in content, but the archetypes
of pyramids, crystals, the ocean, Thoth [the scribe of our reality]
and the Emerald Tablets, alchemy and other related files on
Crystalinks, can help explain the metapohoric content of Brown's
experience and perhaps some of your drams and visions.
Metaphors :: Rays = sun, sun gods, the eye - and on and on we go
until one understands the nature of our reality as a virtual
experience created through the mathematical blueprint called Sacred
Geometry that repeats in cycles - spiral loops of consciousness
called 'time' that is about to shift in frequency.
This links with current Earth changes across the planet.
Is there a core crystal - generating power to manifest our grid
program in physical reality? Does it link to secrets hidden beneath
the Great Pyramd and Sphinx - [chambers and caves are archetypes for
the mind that experiences virtually] - crystals in time - the
alleged hidden akashic records of our experience in third dimension
- the core crystal about to burn out at which time our grid program
evolves to higher frequency - and related theories that help
humanity awaken to the nature of its creation?
One can only imagine discovering Atlantean technology, such as
those found in the TV series 'Stargate Atlantis' - and learning the
secrets of the Atlanteans - which - if they did exist in our
physical reality - or perhaps a parallel grid that merges into ours
- would bring answers sought after by alchemists through time. How
ironic would it be to discover the fall of Atlantis as our reality
sinks into the 'sea' of consciousness.
Famous Bermuda Triangle Incidents
Flight 19
One of the best known Bermuda Triangle incidents concerns the loss of Flight
19, a squadron of five U.S. Navy TBM Avenger torpedo bombers on a training
flight out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on December 5, 1945. According to
Berlitz, the flight consisted of expert Marine Corps aviators who, after
reporting a number of odd visual effects, simply disappeared, an account which
isn't entirely true. Furthermore, Berlitz claims that because the TBM Avenger
bombers were built to float for long periods, they should have been found the
next day considering what were reported as calm seas and a clear sky. However,
not only were they never found, a Navy search and rescue seaplane that went
after them was also lost. Adding to the intrigue is that the Navy's report of
the accident was ascribed to "causes or reasons unknown".
TBM Avenger bombers
While the basic facts of Berlitz's version of the story are essentially
accurate, some important details are missing. The image of a squadron of
seasoned combat aviators disappearing on a sunny afternoon is inaccurate.
Rather, it was a squadron of lost, inexperienced flight trainees forced to ditch
their out-of-fuel airplanes into unknown stormy waters in the dark of night. As
for the Navy's report, it is claimed that the original report blamed the
accident on the commander's confusion (Lt. Taylor abandoned his airplanes twice
in the Pacific after getting lost returning to his carrier), but the wording was
changed in deference to the wishes of his family.
Another factor to consider is that the TBM Avenger Aircraft were never
designed for crash-landing into water. Wartime experience in the Pacific showed
that an Avenger aircraft would sink very quickly if landed on the water.
Especially with novice pilots at the helm, an Avenger would be very difficult to
land on calm water, let alone the perilous rough seas in the Bermuda Triangle.
Star Tiger
Another well-known loss is that of a four-engine Tudor IV airliner named Star
Tiger, in the predawn hours of January 31, 1948. Piloted by Captain B. W.
McMillan, the airliner, which carried twenty-nine passengers and crew on board,
had left hours earlier from Santa Maria, Azores, one of numerous scheduled fuel
stopover points on its route from London, England to Havana, Cuba. While
approaching Bermuda, McMillan made the expected contact with Kindley Field, the
next stopover, requesting a radio bearing to calibrate his navigation systems
and ensure he remained on course. With the response indicating that the plane
was slightly off course, its position was corrected after Bermuda relayed a
first-class bearing of 72 degrees from the island. At this point, with Star
Tiger less than two hours flight away, McMillan gave confirmation of an ETA of
05:00 hours, an hour late due to strong headwinds; no further transmission from
the aircraft was ever received.
Star Tiger, a four-engine Tudor IV airliner
Armed with precise reports of the plane's last known position, rescue
operations were launched after the craft was determined overdue for arrival; but
no trace of the aircraft was ever found.
In the report issued soon thereafter by the Civil Air Ministry, numerous
hypotheses as to what might have occurred during the flight's final two hours
are given, before each being subsequently rejected: "There would accordingly be
no grounds for supposing that Star Tiger fell into the sea in consequence of
having been deprived of her radio, having failed to find her destination, and
having exhausted her fuel." "There is good reason to suppose that no distress
message was transmitted from the aircraft, for there were many radio receiving
stations listening on the aircraft's frequencies, and none reported such a
message." "...The weather was stable, there were no atmospheric disturbances of
a serious kind which might cause structural damage to the aircraft, and there
were no electrical storms." It was ruled that the aircraft could not have gone
off course, as the broadcast bearing from Bermuda, with winds prevailing, would
have brought it within thirty miles of the island: "The aircraft could hardly
have failed to find the island in a short time, in the conditions of visibility
which prevailed." Engine difficulty was ruled out as a likely cause, since at
such late stage in the flight, without the added weight of extra fuel aboard,
the aircraft might have been flown safely on three, or even two, engines instead
of the four it had. The probability of the aircraft entirely losing three
engines in the course of under two hours was considered absurd.
Faced with the accumulation of evidence, or perhaps lack thereof, the board
of investigation addressed the loss of the Star Tiger with remarked eloquence:
"In closing this report it may truly be said that no more baffling problem has
ever been presented for investigation. In the complete absence of any reliable
evidence as to either the nature or the cause of the accident of Star Tiger the
Court has not been able to do more than suggest possibilities, none of which
reaches the level even of probability. Into all activities which involve the
co-operation of man and machine two elements enter of a very diverse chaarcter
[sic?]. There is an incalculable element of the human equation dependent upon
imperfectly known factors; and there is the mechanical element subject to quite
different laws. A breakdown may occur in either separately or in both in
conjunction. Or some external cause may overwhelm both man and machine. What
happened in this case will never be known and the fate of Star Tiger must remain
an unsolved mystery."
The list of Bermuda Triangle incidents concerns all maritime incidents that
occurred in the Bermuda Triangle and incidents that are claimed to have occurred
in the Bermuda Triangle.
Incidents in air
-
TBF Avenger 1942
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PBY Catalina 1942
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TBF Avenger 1943
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Lockheed PV-1 Ventura x4 1943
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PV4Y Privateer 1943
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PBY Catalina 1944
-
PB4Y Privateer 1944
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SBD-5 Dauntless 1944
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PBY-5A Catalina 1944
-
B-24 Liberator 1945
-
PV4Y Privateer 1945
-
Flight 19, lost on December 5, 1945
-
Martin Mariner, lost on December 5, 1945
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C-54 1947
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DC-3 NC16002, lost on December 28, 1948
-
Star Tiger, lost on January 30, 1948
-
Star Ariel, lost on January 17, 1949
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Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat 1950
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Grumman F9F-2 Panther 1950
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C-46 British York transport, lost on February 2, 1952
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TV-2 Texan 1953
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USN Super Constellation, lost on October 30, 1954
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Martin Marlin, lost on November 9, 1956
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Super Sabre, lost on March 18, 1960
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Pogo 22, lost on October 15, 1961
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KB-50 Aerial Tanker, lost on January 8, 1962
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C-133 Cargomaster, lost on May 27, 1962
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C-133 Cargomaster, lost on September 22, 1963
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USAF KC-135 Stratotankers, lost on August 28, 1963
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C-119 Flying Boxcar, lost on June 5, 1965
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Cessna 172, lost on June 6, 1969
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Phantom II Jet "Sting 27", lost on October 10, 1971
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Caribbean Flight 912, lost November 3, 1978
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DC-3 N407D, lost on September 21, 1978
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Fighting Tiger 524, lost on February 22, 1978
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Beechcraft N9027Q, lost on February 11, 1980
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Ercoupe N3808H, lost on June 28, 1980
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Beech Bonanza, lost on January 6, 1981
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Piper Cherokee N3527E, lost on March 26, 1986
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Grumman Cougar Jet, lost on October 31, 1991
Incidents at sea
-
General Gates; went missing 1780 (no British warship claimed her sinking)
-
USS Insurgent, a 36-gun French-built warship with 340 crew; went missing
September 1799
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USS Pickering; went missing on voyage to West Indies, on or around August 20,
1800
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USS Wasp; galleon that severely harassed British shipping in the War of 1812,
went missing on Caribbean cruise, October 1814
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Epervier, while carrying original peace proposals for War of 1812; left
Algiers for Norfolk, and went missing, 1815, delaying the ending of hostilities
(rare instance of maritime disappearance directly connected to international
politics)
-
USS Wildcat, crew of 31; went missing after leaving Cuba, October 1824
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Schooner Lynx, crew of 40; went missing in far western Atlantic, 1824
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Schooner Hornet, victor over HMS Peacock in 1812; went missing in far western
Atlantic, 1824
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Rosalie; went missing in Sargasso Sea, 1840
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Grampus; went missing sailing south of the Carolinas, March 1843
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HMS Atalanta, crew of 290; went missing, after departing Bermuda for home,
1880
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Spray, piloted by renowned world-circumnavigator Joshua Slocum, considered
"finest sailor of his age"; went missing after departing Miami, November 14,
1909
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Timandra, 1,579 gross-ton freighter, crew of 21 under Captain Lee; went
missing, while bound for Buenos Aires from Norfolk in cargo of coal, sometime
between March 6 and March 27, 1917; sent no wireless/radio communication,
despite capability
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Collier USS Cyclops, crew and passengers of 309 under Lieutenant Commander
George Worley; went missing after leaving Barbados for Baltimore, sometime after
March 6, 1918; sent no wireless/radio communication, despite capability
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Tramp steamer SS Cotopaxi, crew of 32 under Captain Meyers; went missing,
after leaving Charleston, South Carolina for Havana, Cuba, December 1, 1925;
sent no wireless/radio communication, despite capability
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Freighter SS Suduffco, crew of 29; went missing, while sailing from New York
City to Los Angeles, March 14, 1926, though owner waited approximately one month
before reporting her overdue; sent no wireless/radio communication, despite
capability
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British freighter Anglo Australian, 5,500 tonnes, crew of 38 under Captain
Parslow; went missing, bound from Cardiff, Wales for British Columbia, March
1938; last reported by wireless/radio off Azores: "Passing Fayal this afternoon.
All well."
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The Evelyn K; lost on March 6, 1948
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SS Samkey; lost on January 31, 1948
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Home Sweet Home; lost on January 13, 1955
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Connemara IV; lost on September 26, 1955
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Revenoc; lost on January 1, 1958
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SS Marine Sulphur Queen; lost on February 3, 1963
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Sno Boy; lost on July 2, 1963
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Enchantress; lost on January 13, 1965
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El Gato; lost on October 28, 1965
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Witchcraft; lost on December 22, 1967
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El Caribe; lost on September 10, 1971
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Dawn; lost on April 22, 1975
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Sylvia L. Ossa; lost in October 1976
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SS Poet; lost on October 26, 1980
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