Bermuda Triangle
Western Atlantic
What happened
THIS IS A LEGEND. The Bermuda Triangle is a loosely defined area of the Atlantic Ocean, roughly between Florida, Bermuda and Puerto Rico. Writers began claiming that unusual numbers of ships and planes disappeared there. Famous cases include the loss of Flight 19, five US Navy torpedo bombers on a training mission, in December 1945.
Why it matters
According to NOAA, there is no evidence that mysterious disappearances happen more often in the Bermuda Triangle than in any other large, well-traveled part of the ocean.
What came next
In 1975 Larry Kusche's book argued that many of the claims were exaggerated, dubious or impossible to verify. The US Board on Geographic Names does not recognize the Bermuda Triangle as an official name.
Did you know?
The Argosy magazine article that gave the area its famous boundaries, with corners at Miami, San Juan and Bermuda, was written by Vincent Gaddis in 1964.
Timeline
- December 1945Flight 19 is lost on a training mission.
- February 1964Vincent Gaddis writes The Deadly Bermuda Triangle in Argosy.
- 1974Charles Berlitz's book The Bermuda Triangle is published.
- 1975Larry Kusche's book questions the claims.