World4 min(s) read
Published 12:05 20 Apr 2026 GMT
Sailors couldn't believe what they encountered when they were sailing through the infamous Bermuda Triangle.
Also known as the "Devil's Triangle", the 700,000km area in the North Atlantic Ocean has become synonymous with claiming the lives of thousands of travellers throughout the centuries.
It's somewhat of an urban legend, but there is some truth to it, whether it be due to the area being a popular travel route or due to the presence of a supernatural force.
Regardless, there's a perception of the area that many have, as these beliefs were somewhat reaffirmed by this 2022 YouTube video from Ocean Research Project.
One of the earliest recorded disappearances in the area was back on December 5, 1945, when Flight 19 took off from Florida and vanished, never to be seen again.
Eerily, a rescue plane was deployed and it too would disappear, with no wreckage or bodies ever being found.
This trend seemingly continued, as from 1945 to 2017, there have been approximately 10 reported incidents where aircraft have gone missing for good.
That's all though, with around 14 ships going missing with no explanation from 1800 to 2015, all in the Bermuda Triangle.
While many may believe that there is an otherworldly force claiming the lives of travellers, it's easy to forget that conditions in and around the Bermuda Triangle are turbulent, to say the least.
People may have gotten lost or fallen victim to the weather - but this doesn't make it any less scary.
Two sailors, who are members of the Ocean Research Project, were exploring the Atlantic Ocean back in 2013, when they stumbled upon a scary discovery.
They came across an unmanned ship which didn't have a running motor or an upright sail, with no signs at all of anyone on board.
They then climbed aboard to see if there was anyone below deck who may need medical attention, but Matt Rutherford, one of the sailors, confirmed their "ghost ship" fears.
"This is one awfully abandoned sailboat. Wolfhound from the Irish Yacht Club," he explained.
"I have no idea what's inside. I'm going to go and search around, and I hope I don't find any dead bodies or anything crazy like that."
The sailor admitted that he didn't want to open any doors in case he found something he didn't want to see, though he shared that there were no dead bodies.
He added: "This is absolutely crazy by the way. 800 miles from Bermuda, 1,500 miles from the US, standing on a very nice Swan 48, in the middle of the ocean."
Rutherford managed to speak with the boat's owner, who offered him a reward if he could get the boat back to its home in Bermuda, which they attempted to do.
The small crew managed to drag the boat along 50 miles, explaining in the video: "It's kinda funny, (towing a) 48ft boat with a 42ft boat. We're doing our best trying to get her to Bermuda."
Unfortunately for the owner, the sailors were running low on fuel after 47 days at sea, even after getting some fuel from a passing freight ship.
The decision was made to cut the abandoned ship loose from the tow line after it got wrapped around the rudder, which was at risk of breaking off completely.
According to online investigators, the boat had belonged to Alan McGettigan, a skipper from the Royal Irish Yacht Club, who was traveling with three crewmates before being rescued by a Greek cargo ship 64 miles north of Bermuda.
The boat had been damaged by 20ft waves and 50-knot (92.5 km/h) speeds, with the captain deciding to abandon his ship for the safety of his crew.
It was then found by this crew, nine weeks later.
