The Phenomenon

THE PHENOMENON Neither the Coast Guard nor the Navy officially recognizes any geographically defined area called the Bermuda Triangle; however, it does have an official statement on the topic providing a brief history and likely explanations. Interest in the phenomenon stemmed in part from a December 1967 press release by the National Geographic Society detailing, incorrectly at times, mysterious accidents that occurred in and around the Triangle.

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The name “The Bermuda Triangle” was placed in the cultural lexicon by a May 1964Argosy magazine article by Vincent Gaddis.

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In addition to its current name, the Bermuda Triangle was also known as “The Devil’s Triangle” and “The Hoodoo Sea.”

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The most famous case attributed to the Bermuda Triangle is the disappearance of Flight 19 and a search plane sent after them on December 5, 1945. In all, 27 men and 6 aircraft never returned home.

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The first documented encounter in the Bermuda Triangle was by Christopher Columbus who encountered mysterious lights and compass malfunctions on his first voyage through the area.

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Much of the Bermuda Triangle mystery was put to rest by a book titled Bermuda Triangle: Mystery Solved by Larry Kusche, a researcher at the University of Arizona. Kusche found many of the supposed mysteries of the Triangle either occurred in other parts of the ocean or in adverse weather conditions.

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One of the most popular recent theories to explain the Bermuda Triangle involves an electromagnetically induced fog that wreaks havoc on passing ships and planes.

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Self-styled physicist John Hutchison claims to have accidentally created the electronic fog that supposedly plagues the Triangle in his apartment as part of a phenomenon he has dubbed “The Hutchison Effect.”

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The Gulf Stream, which runs the length of the Bermuda Triangle, can quickly move debris from a boat or plane accident away from scene, eradicating any trace of the incident.

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The Bermuda Triangle regularly experiences weather conditions such as thunderstorms, waterspouts, and hurricanes that can be potentially lethal to any craft caught in their path.

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Recent satellite research has proven the rogue waves, single waves reaching 80 ft or higher, occur with relative frequency in open ocean areas such as the Bermuda Triangle. These waves can damage or destroy even the largest ships.

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Though figures vary widely, a conservative estimate puts the Bermuda Triangle at 440,000 miles of open sea, an area larger than Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana combined.

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Many advocates link the Bermuda Triangle to the disappearance of the USS Cyclops in 1918, to this day it remains one of the greatest unsolved mysteries in US Naval history.

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Spatial disorientation, sensory confusion in a pilot, is a rare but well known factor in a small percentage of flying accidents. 87% of such accidents result in fatalities.