Bermuda Triangle: Myth or Fact?

 March 2026

by Eleftheria Kolovou

 

 

  I'm sure you've all heard some kind of story for that place. It's regarded one of the most mysterious and devastating places on earth with air crafts disappearing and boats and ships falling to the depths of the sea, never to be seen again. The Bermuda Triangle is located in the Atlantic sea and unofficially is three lines connected to each other. The first line goes from Miami to San Juan (Puerto Rico), the second from San Juan to Bermuda and the third from Bermuda back to Miami, hence the 'triangle'.

   It's a place with a dark history that can be counted back to the times of Christopher Columbus, specifically in September 1492, when Columbus was trying to go across the whole world and subsequently found the mother land of the Indians or in other words America. The evidence lies in Columbus's log readings that something was interfering with the readings of his compass. " On this day, at the commencement of the night, the needles turned a half point to north-west, and in the morning they turned somewhat more north-eastern." He also reported the sea's level rising during the next few days and a small body of light glistening on the horizon, just like a candle. Of course he could not explain what it was and that light still remains a mystery till this very day. 

  Another incident that happened around that time, was the sighting of the 'ghost ship'. A captain with his crew, due to turbulence from the bad weather decided to go through a shortcut through the stormy and foggy Sargasso Sea (where the Bermuda triangle is also located). That's where they saw an eerily quiet ship that was aimlessly sailing through the waves of the sea. When they got close they realised that it was devoid of anything human, but with a lot of cargo. They decided to bring it back to New-York with them, and so, they sent some of their men to sail it. As they were traversing through those treacherous waters, they got caught in a big storm that seemed fatal for their journey, since it was the reason that unknown ship, along with the men, got separated from the main one. Our story does not end here though, as when the fog cleared and the weather calmed down the sailors went back on searching for their comrades, and they did, they found it, but not the ones that mounted it a while back, it once again became empty and disturbingly quiet. All that didn't deter the captain as he sent another team to lead the ship back to New- York. For a few nights all seemed to go well but then thick and heavy fog came about, and the main ship stopped and waited for the fog to settle down and clear. But the ghost ship did not. It kept moving farther and farther away, never to be seen again.

  After that, another big ship, the USS Cyclops with over 300 men and more than 1000 tons of cargo, begun from Rio De Janeiro and crossed the Sargasso sea which proved to be the last point it was seen again. Aside from that, during world war two, around 50 ships and 20 planes vanished into this thin air in that Bermuda Triangle. Even rescue missions that were sent out to find the missing aircrafts and ships never made it back alive. 

  One thing they all had in common, was something messing with the compass. Many pilots and ship captains, before losing contact reported malfunctions with their compass. One of such reports, was from a fleet of five small navy aircrafts carrying 40 men, with its captain repeatedly reporting malfunctions with their compasses. This went on for a few hours until flight 19 spoke its last words: "We are completely lost". Eventually they ran out of fuel and had to land on the water. After a few hours a rescue plane was sent, housing a 13-man crew. All them disappeared without a trace.

  Some people have given an explanation from a physics perspective, saying that this happens because at that place, the compass points to the true north and not to the magnetic north, which can change as you move across the world. Or, this happens because of the agonic line, which is an imaginary line where true north and magnetic north are in perfect alignment. 

  Many people argue that those who were lost, were especially trained in flight or spent their whole lives sailing the sea. So, how come they didn't consider that fact, when it was widely known?

  Until a satisfactory answer arises, the truth behind the Bermuda Triangle will remain a secret, only known to god.