For years, the mystery of Bermuda Triangle has boggled the minds of researchers and scientists all across the world. Also called as the Devil’s Triangle for mysteriously disappearing ships and airplanes sailing through its course, the Bermuda Triangle is one of the most baffling phenomenon’s existing in our world. With several ships and aircrafts disappearing in this area, it was believed that the mystery behind these disappearances would never unfold. However, the belief was proven wrong by the crew of Michael Barnette, who discovered one of the very first ships that disappeared into thin air in the Bermuda Triangle, some 100 years ago.
Michael and his team of researchers are believed to have discovered the lost cargo ship named SS Cotopaxi lying deep below in the vast ocean. The team found the debris of the ship while filming their documentary Shipwreck Secrets.
MYSTERY OF SS COTOPAXI
On November 29th 1925, an American steam ship named SS Cotopaxi set on its voyage to deliver coal to Cuba. However, the ship never reached its destination and there was no communication made by the ship after it set its sail. The steam ship and its crew of 32 sailors went missing in the Bermuda Triangle, without leaving behind any trace of wreckage that may help lead the investigators to the ship. Over the years, the mystery revolving around the disappearance of this huge ship has only become more complex, especially due to the increasing number of disappearances in the same area.
WHAT DID THE EXPLORERS AND SHIPWRECK RESEARCHERS FIND?
Michael Barnette, a renowned marine biologist and also a shipwreck explorer believes that he and his team have finally unravelled the mysterious disappearance of the SS Cotopaxi. His research shows that the Cotopaxi had sent a distress signal on the fated day of 1st December 1925. The signal was received in Jacksonville, Florida and the ship’s location was tracked to a location off the coast of St. Augustine, Florida that was called as the Bear Wreck.
The team of researchers used Remotely Operated underwater Vehicle, also known as ROV to scan the entire Bear Wreck area, finding and examining wreck that was similar to Cotopaxi’s layout. And their research proved that the images found had amazingly striking similarities with the lost ship.
CONCLUSION
According to Barnette, the ship most probably disappeared from the surface due to two main factors namely: Firstly storms in the ocean and secondly, that the ship was not well equipped to fight the harsh weather conditions.
Barnette’s team of researchers and divers indicated that the ship’s wooden hatch covers covering the ship’s cargo holds were in severely decaying conditions. As a result, due to the harsh weather, water from the ocean seeped inside into the lowest deck. Hence, the ship already was doomed to experience its fate sooner.
Apart from the SS Cotapaxi, there are hundreds of other ships and aircrafts that have lost or disappeared from the Bermuda Triangle.
