The Triangle phenomenon became international in the 1970s with the publication of the Charles Berlitz's best-seller Bermuda Triangle, a pseudo-scientific study of mysterious marine and air traffic mishaps which, Mr. Berlitz claimed, were due to magnetic anomalies, reverse gravitational fields or supernatural forces behind more than 300 unexplained disasters since the Second World War.

Extra-terrestrials, magnetic rays from the lost city of Atlantis, time warps, ley lines and other unfathomable powers from the realms of beyond have been variously credited with sinking ships and plucking air planes from the skies.

Natural phenomena have also been blamed including whirlpools from the Sargasso sea and rising methane.

Other scientists say the area is no less dangerous than any other region of the ocean.

"The Bermuda Triangle Mystery ? Solved" by author Larry Kusche, debunked many of Mr. Berlitz's theories.

Perhaps predictably, "The Bermuda Triangle Mystery ? Solved" never sold as well as Mr. Berlitz's book, which had a revival in 2003 when the writer and heir to the Berlitz language schools died.