Bermuda Triangle diver who searched thousands of shipwrecks hits back at ‘paranormal’ claims

It might be one of the places most talked about with superstition, but that hasn't stopped one man from regularly diving at the Bermuda Triangle.

Meet Michael C. Barnette, a diver and marine biologist who has spent years diving in wrecks around the infamous body of water.

Located in the West Atlantic Ocean, the Bermuda Triangle has become infamous for the many ships and aircraft which have disappeared there over the years.

Barnette has spent a long time diving in the area, including at the wrecks of ships themselves to explore them.

It's now been documented as part of a film called The Bermuda Triangle: Into Cursed Waters, set to premier on November 14 on the History Channel.

But despite the film's captivating title, he has said that he doesn't want to buy into the mythology surrounding the area.

He wrote: “I don't entertain the paranormal. I think everything has a rational explanation, but, for better or worse, the Bermuda Triangle captures people's imaginations.”

PeterHermesFurian / Getty

Not only that, but he also urged people to be considerate when thinking about the area. As captivating as the stories are, these are still people who have been lost at sea.

He wrote: “When we find those ships, we can provide a rational explanation for their losses, and share that it's not an abstract thing, this triangle with ‘mystical’ properties.

“These are human stories. There are human lives lost when a ship founders in a storm or an aircraft disappears.”

It's also worth noting that ships are often nowhere near as intact as we might think them to be.

There are many factors which could have an impact on the state of a shipwreck over time.

Stephen Frink / Getty

These include the water quality and temperature, whether the location is sheltered from currents, what material the ship is made of, and any marine life which often makes a home for itself in a wreck.

All this means that wrecks can deteriorate quickly once they're on the sea floor.

Barnette said: “A lot of people think about shipwrecks as a Hollywood movie; a vessel sitting at the bottom of the sea, intact, like a ghost ship. That's just not the case unless it sank hours beforehand."

For example the Titanic, possibly the most famous shipwreck of all time, is in two pieces having split in half as it sank.

Meanwhile, a vessel like the medieval battleship the Mary Rose is notable principally because of how incredibly well preserved it is.

With all that, would you risk going into the Bermuda Triangle?

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