For decades, tales of the Bermuda Triangle—a region roughly bounded by Florida, Bermuda, and the Greater Antilles—have fueled stories of supernatural forces swallowing ships and planes. More than 50 vessels and 20 aircraft have vanished there in the past century, sparking theories about sea monsters, alien abductions, and the lost city of Atlantis.
But now an Australian scientist may have solved that puzzle.
According to AOL, Australian scientist Karl Kruszelnicki says the real explanation is far less mysterious: statistics, bad weather, and human error. His theory is backed by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Lloyd’s of London, and the U.S. Coast Guard.
“There is no evidence that mysterious disappearances occur with any greater frequency in the Bermuda Triangle than in any other large, well-traveled area of the ocean,” NOAA stated in 2010. Kruszelnicki has been making the same case since 2017, noting that the sheer volume of traffic—combined with tricky navigation—means incidents happen at a normal rate on a percentage basis.
Lloyd’s of London has held this view since the 1970s. NOAA adds that environmental factors explain most cases: the Gulf Stream’s sudden weather shifts, the maze of Caribbean islands complicating navigation, and rare magnetic anomalies that can confuse compasses.
Even high-profile disappearances, like the 1945 loss of Flight 19—five U.S. Navy bombers—can be attributed to poor weather, navigational mistakes, or both.
Still, conspiracy theories endure in books, TV shows, and films—because sea monsters and lost civilizations make for better entertainment than math and meteorology.
The Mysteries of the Bass Strait Triangle
The Bass Strait Triangle, a stretch of treacherous water between mainland Australia and Tasmania, has a long history of strange vanishings. The most famous is the 1978 disappearance of 20-year-old pilot Frederick Valentich. Flying a Cessna 182L from Moorabbin, Victoria, to King Island, Valentich reported a “strange, metallic object” hovering above him before losing radio contact. Neither he nor his plane was ever found.
Five years earlier, in 1973, the freighter MV Blythe Star vanished without warning. While some crew survived a harrowing ordeal and fragments of the ship were later found, the mystery surrounding its disappearance only deepened the Strait’s eerie reputation.
Other notable incidents include:
1797 – The Sloop Eliza
Vanished while salvaging cargo from the wrecked Sydney Cove in the Furneaux Group—the first recorded disappearance in the Strait.
1838–1840 – A String of Lost Vessels
At least seven ships bound for Melbourne disappeared with all hands; wreckage from only three was ever found.
1858 – HMS Sappho
A British warship carrying over 100 crew disappeared without leaving identifiable wreckage.
1901 – SS Federal
Lost while carrying coal; its wreck was only discovered in 2019.
1906 – SS Ferdinand Fischer
A German cargo vessel vanished without trace.
1920 – Twin Disappearances
The schooner Amelia J went missing on 10 September. While searching for her, the barquentine Southern Cross and a military aircraft also disappeared. Only Southern Cross wreckage was recovered.
1934 – Miss Hobart Airliner
A De Havilland Express vanished soon after entering service; only small debris washed ashore.
1935 – Loina Crash
Another Holyman airliner crashed near Flinders Island. All five aboard were lost, and no bodies recovered.
1940s – WWII Aircraft Losses
Several RAAF Bristol Beaufort bombers disappeared during training, likely due to inexperience and risky low-altitude flying.
1972 – Brenda Hean & Max Price
The pair vanished in a Tiger Moth while on an environmental protest flight from Tasmania to Canberra. Sabotage was suspected but unproven.
1979 – Yacht Charleston
Disappeared en route to join the Sydney–Hobart Yacht Race, leaving no trace.
Despite the legends, experts often point to natural hazards—swiftly changing wind patterns near Flinders and King Islands, shallow waters, and volatile weather—as the likely causes behind many of these tragedies.
The Latest Case
On August 7, 2025, 72-year-old Gregory Vaughan and 66-year-old Kim Worner vanished after taking off from George Town, Tasmania, in a light sport aircraft bound for Hillston, New South Wales. The plane never arrived. Police have found no evidence of foul play but face the same unpredictable weather that has plagued countless search efforts in the Bass Strait.
But now an Australian scientist may have solved that puzzle.
According to AOL, Australian scientist Karl Kruszelnicki says the real explanation is far less mysterious: statistics, bad weather, and human error. His theory is backed by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Lloyd’s of London, and the U.S. Coast Guard.
“There is no evidence that mysterious disappearances occur with any greater frequency in the Bermuda Triangle than in any other large, well-traveled area of the ocean,” NOAA stated in 2010. Kruszelnicki has been making the same case since 2017, noting that the sheer volume of traffic—combined with tricky navigation—means incidents happen at a normal rate on a percentage basis.
Lloyd’s of London has held this view since the 1970s. NOAA adds that environmental factors explain most cases: the Gulf Stream’s sudden weather shifts, the maze of Caribbean islands complicating navigation, and rare magnetic anomalies that can confuse compasses.
Even high-profile disappearances, like the 1945 loss of Flight 19—five U.S. Navy bombers—can be attributed to poor weather, navigational mistakes, or both.
Still, conspiracy theories endure in books, TV shows, and films—because sea monsters and lost civilizations make for better entertainment than math and meteorology.
The Mysteries of the Bass Strait Triangle
The Bass Strait Triangle, a stretch of treacherous water between mainland Australia and Tasmania, has a long history of strange vanishings. The most famous is the 1978 disappearance of 20-year-old pilot Frederick Valentich. Flying a Cessna 182L from Moorabbin, Victoria, to King Island, Valentich reported a “strange, metallic object” hovering above him before losing radio contact. Neither he nor his plane was ever found.
Five years earlier, in 1973, the freighter MV Blythe Star vanished without warning. While some crew survived a harrowing ordeal and fragments of the ship were later found, the mystery surrounding its disappearance only deepened the Strait’s eerie reputation.
Other notable incidents include:
1797 – The Sloop Eliza
Vanished while salvaging cargo from the wrecked Sydney Cove in the Furneaux Group—the first recorded disappearance in the Strait.
1838–1840 – A String of Lost Vessels
At least seven ships bound for Melbourne disappeared with all hands; wreckage from only three was ever found.
1858 – HMS Sappho
A British warship carrying over 100 crew disappeared without leaving identifiable wreckage.
1901 – SS Federal
Lost while carrying coal; its wreck was only discovered in 2019.
1906 – SS Ferdinand Fischer
A German cargo vessel vanished without trace.
1920 – Twin Disappearances
The schooner Amelia J went missing on 10 September. While searching for her, the barquentine Southern Cross and a military aircraft also disappeared. Only Southern Cross wreckage was recovered.
1934 – Miss Hobart Airliner
A De Havilland Express vanished soon after entering service; only small debris washed ashore.
1935 – Loina Crash
Another Holyman airliner crashed near Flinders Island. All five aboard were lost, and no bodies recovered.
1940s – WWII Aircraft Losses
Several RAAF Bristol Beaufort bombers disappeared during training, likely due to inexperience and risky low-altitude flying.
1972 – Brenda Hean & Max Price
The pair vanished in a Tiger Moth while on an environmental protest flight from Tasmania to Canberra. Sabotage was suspected but unproven.
1979 – Yacht Charleston
Disappeared en route to join the Sydney–Hobart Yacht Race, leaving no trace.
Despite the legends, experts often point to natural hazards—swiftly changing wind patterns near Flinders and King Islands, shallow waters, and volatile weather—as the likely causes behind many of these tragedies.
The Latest Case
On August 7, 2025, 72-year-old Gregory Vaughan and 66-year-old Kim Worner vanished after taking off from George Town, Tasmania, in a light sport aircraft bound for Hillston, New South Wales. The plane never arrived. Police have found no evidence of foul play but face the same unpredictable weather that has plagued countless search efforts in the Bass Strait.
