The Bermuda Triangle—a stretch of ocean between Florida, Puerto Rico, and Bermuda—has long been a magnet for myths, conspiracy theories, and chilling tales of vanishing ships and aircraft. For decades, this mysterious region has captured the imagination of the public, spawning stories of ghost ships, disappearing squadrons, and supernatural forces at play. But now, a leading scientist claims to have finally cracked the code behind the Triangle’s deadly reputation, offering an explanation grounded not in science fiction, but in the raw power of nature itself.
Dr. Simon Boxall, an oceanographer from the University of Southampton, has stepped into the spotlight with a bold assertion: the Bermuda Triangle’s infamous disappearances are the result of rogue waves—massive, unpredictable walls of water that can reach up to 100 feet (30 meters) in height. According to Dr. Boxall, these waves are steep, sudden, and capable of striking from directions other than the prevailing wind, making them particularly treacherous for ships and planes alike. As he explained in the Channel 5 documentary The Bermuda Triangle Enigma, “There are storms to the south and north, which come together. And if there are additional ones from Florida, it can be a potentially deadly formation of rogue waves.”
The Bermuda Triangle’s legend began to take shape in the early 20th century, with the disappearance of the USS Cyclops in March 1918. The Cyclops, a 542-foot (165-meter) American coal-carrying ship with 306 crew members, vanished without a trace while en route from Salvador, Brazil, to Baltimore. Not a single distress signal was sent, and despite an extensive search, no wreckage was ever found. The suddenness of the Cyclops’s disappearance fueled wild speculation—everything from alien abductions to underwater portals was proposed as the culprit. But Dr. Boxall’s research suggests a more down-to-earth explanation.
To test his theory, Dr. Boxall and his colleagues constructed a scale model of the USS Cyclops. Their experiments revealed a sobering truth: the ship’s flat base and immense size made it especially vulnerable to rogue waves. When such a wave strikes, it can suspend a vessel between its peaks, leaving the middle unsupported. In these circumstances, Dr. Boxall explained, “it will snap in two.” He added, “They are steep, they are high—we’ve measured waves in excess of 30 metres. If that happens, it can sink in a matter of two or three minutes.” For a ship like the Cyclops, that would leave no time for a distress call and little hope for survival.
It’s not just ships that have fallen victim to the Triangle’s dangers. The mystery deepened in 1945 with the loss of Flight 19, a group of five US Navy planes that vanished during a routine training mission. The subsequent disappearance of a rescue plane only added to the enigma. Over the years, the list of missing vessels and aircraft grew, cementing the Bermuda Triangle’s reputation as a maritime graveyard.
But is the region truly more dangerous than other parts of the world’s oceans? Some scientists say no. According to the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), “There is no evidence that mysterious disappearances occur with any greater frequency in the Bermuda Triangle than in any other large, well-travelled area of the ocean.” Lloyd’s of London, the famed insurance market, backs up this claim, reporting that loss rates in the Triangle are no higher than elsewhere. Environmental factors—such as the Caribbean’s maze of islands and shallow waters—can make navigation tricky, but they don’t point to anything supernatural.
In fact, the mythos surrounding the Bermuda Triangle may owe as much to exaggeration and sensational reporting as to actual danger. Larry Kusche, a researcher who authored the 1975 book The Bermuda Triangle Mystery Solved, found that many of the most dramatic stories were either unverified or blown out of proportion. According to LADbible, Kusche estimated that reports of peril were often “exaggerated or unverified, contributing to the myth’s popularity.”
So why have the stories persisted for so long? Part of the answer lies in human psychology: we’re drawn to the unexplained, and the idea of a cursed or haunted patch of sea is irresistible to many. The reality, though, may be far less glamorous. As Dr. Boxall and other scientists have pointed out, the Bermuda Triangle is a meeting point for powerful storms from multiple directions. When these weather systems collide, they can create rogue waves of staggering size—waves that are more than capable of snapping even the largest vessels in two.
Advances in technology have also played a role in demystifying the Triangle. Modern ships and planes are equipped with GPS, advanced communications, and sophisticated weather forecasting tools. These innovations have dramatically reduced the risk of accidents in the region. As reported by UNILAD Tech, “It’s barely recognized as an area of danger in modern times, and didn’t even make it onto a list of the most dangerous areas for shipping in a 2013 study, indicating that the Bermuda Triangle’s glory days are almost definitely over.”
Still, the legend endures. The combination of real-life tragedy, media sensationalism, and a dash of the unknown has ensured that the Bermuda Triangle remains a fixture in popular culture. But for those seeking answers, the evidence increasingly points to a simple, if awe-inspiring, explanation: the ocean’s own power, unleashed in the form of rogue waves, is responsible for many of the Triangle’s most notorious disappearances.
“The bigger the ship, the more damage is done,” Dr. Boxall cautioned, reminding us that nature’s fury can humble even the mightiest vessels. While the Bermuda Triangle may never fully shake its reputation for mystery, science has offered a compelling answer—one that’s every bit as dramatic as the wildest conspiracy theories, but firmly anchored in reality.
With modern navigation and a better understanding of oceanic phenomena, the Bermuda Triangle’s dangers have largely faded into history. Yet, the story remains a testament to humanity’s fascination with the unknown—and our enduring quest to bring light to the darkest corners of our world.