Bermuda Triangle Lost Mariner – Part IV The Reported Facts

On December 5, 1945, at 2:10 p.m. five U.S. Navy Avenger torpedo-bombers comprising Flight 19 took off from Ft. Lauderdale Naval Air Station on a routine training mission and headed into an area of the Atlantic Ocean known as the Bermuda Triangle. Flight 19 was scheduled to take them due east for 120 miles, north for 73 miles, and then back over a final 120-mile leg that would return them to the naval base. They were never seen again.

Later on the evening of the 5th, a search party was dispatched, which included the twin-engine Martin Mariner (Martin PBM-5 Mariner, Bureau No. 59225, Squadron Training No. 49), with its crew of 13 men (3 aviators aboard and a crew of 10), that many claim disappeared into the Bermuda Triangle along with Flight 19. At 1627, this Mariner aircraft search and rescue crew was sent out in search of the bombers. The PBM Mariner was specifically designed as a rescue plane with the ability to remain aloft for 24 hours.  At 1930, the aircraft radioed an "out" report to its home base and was not heard from again.

There is evidence to explain the disappearance of the Mariner flying boat- sometimes referred to as the "flying gas can". Some twenty-three minutes after the Mariner left the Banana River NAS, observers aboard the tanker SS Gaines Mills reported seeing a plane on fire. It crashed into the sea with a hellish explosion. The captain radioed the following report:

"Observed a burst of flames, apparently an explosion, leaping flames 100 feet high and burning for ten minutes.  At present, passing through a big pool of oil. Stopped, circled area using searchlights, looking for survivors. None found." 

The USS Solomons, which was in the area at the time, sent a report confirming the tanker's observations. "Our air search radar showed a plane after takeoff from Banana River last night joining with another plane, then separating and proceeding on course 045 degrees at the exact time SS Gaines Mills sighted flames and in exact spot the above plane disappeared from the radar screen and never reappeared."

When the ship investigated, it found a patch of oil and debris where the flying boat must have crashed. No wreckage was sighted and according to witnesses there was little likelihood that any could have been recovered due to a very rough sea. The next day, water samples, taken in the area, developed an oily film. The area was not buoyed due to the heavy seas nor were diving or salvage operations ever conducted. The depth of the water was 78 feet and the site was close to the Gulf Stream. During the Board's examination of the disappearance of the PBM, several witnesses were questioned concerning gas fumes and smoking regulations, which were reportedly well posted and rigidly enforced aboard all PBMs. Although the Board's report is not a verbatim record and no accusations were made, there seems to be enough inference present to cause one to suspect that the Board was aware of the PBM's nickname.

Comments

[Jacob Stevens]

Hello Mr. Bright,

I have one question. About the Empress of Ireland: is it true that there are still skeletons to be seen down in the wreck? From what I understand you have been to the wreck and I imagine you would know if you saw any skeletal remains.

Jacob

[David Bright]

Hello Jacob,
The Empress of Ireland rolled over rapidly after the Norwegian collier, Storstad, became dislodged from its midship. It took only fourteen short minutes for the Empress to sink following the Storstad's initial collision. Because of this short time period, it is believed that as many as eight hundred people are entombed within the ship. Therefore, the Empress is treated with much respect and dignity whenever we visit her.
I have dove the wreck site of the Empress over one hundred and ten times since 1987 and have had the opportunity to be the first to visit some of the areas deep within the ship. Because of my many explorations, I have come across the remains of passengers and crew; especially in the areas around the living accomodations. In Kevin McMurray's book about diving expeditions to the Empress of Ireland entitled Dark Descent, I describe one particular encounter while exploring some of the deep inner compartments that totally humbled me. The Empress is a shrine and gravesite that I treat with the utmost reverence!

[Jacob Stevens]

Mr. Bright,

That is quite sad. So many lives lost. I can imagine why you would treat it with the utmost respect. I would also.

Thank you,
Jacob

[Phyllis Dale]

The 5 Avengers that were found off Ft Lauderdale - have these been identified as a different training flight? Is there a record of that flight's disappearance? There seemed to be an element of surprise that this discovery was not Flight 19 - why wouldn't the Navy have been looking for this second 5 planes as aggresively as Flight 19?

[David Bright]

Hello Phyllis,
Thank you for writing and your insightful question. The five Avengers found by Graham Hawkes in the early 1990's were indeed all from different training flights and were reported missing at different time periods. I can not tell you exactly what the Navy's response to each of these missing Avengers was during the time that they were reported missing. The best informational resource that can potentially answer your question would be the archives of the Naval Historical Center in Washington, D.C. Each individual Avenger's accident report and other related documentation are archived at this facility which is part of the Washington Navy Yard (by the way, if you go there, make sure you see the bathyscaphe Trieste that holds the world record for the deepest dive to the Mariana Trench with aquanauts Jacques Picard and Don Walsh). The biggest mystery of this discovery is how each of the five Avengers from different training flights and time periods could end up in the same relative area of each other and yet not be found. Unfortunately, I believe that it is pure coincidence; however this discovery will certainly qualify as an "Unsolved Mystery".
Many thanks!
David A. Bright

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