Space Shuttle Challenger Found in the Bermuda Samgakji-dae

Documentary Production Team Discovers 4.5×4.5m Wreckage Under Sea Near Florida
Exploded 74 Seconds After 1986 Launch... All 7 Onboard Killed

Underwater explorer and marine biologist Mike Barnett and shipwreck diver Jimmy Gadamski's team are exploring the space shuttle Challenger discovered off the coast of Florida. Photo by AP Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyunjung] A documentary production team searching for the wreckage of military aircraft that disappeared during World War II in the Bermuda Triangle discovered debris from the space shuttle Challenger, which exploded in 1986.

According to foreign media including the AP News on the 11th (local time), the discovered Challenger debris is large, approximately 4.5×4.5 meters, and is covered with sand, so it could actually be larger. The Challenger was launched from the Kennedy Space Center in the United States on January 28, 1986, carrying seven people. Due to cold weather at the time, the O-ring sealing the external fuel tank failed to function properly, causing an explosion 74 seconds after launch, killing all onboard. Among the deceased was Christa McAuliffe, a high school teacher selected from civilians. The participation of an ordinary teacher as part of space exploration sparked great excitement among American students and educators, and many watched the launch with interest.

The people who discovered the Challenger debris in May were underwater explorer and marine biologist Mike Barnett and his diving partner, diver Jimmy Gadomski. They were participating in the production of a History Channel documentary titled "Bermuda Triangle: Into the Cursed Waters" in the sea off St. Petersburg, Florida. Originally, the object they were searching for was the wreckage of a U.S. Navy aircraft that disappeared without a trace on December 5, 1945, during World War II. The search location was informed by fishermen. Fish generally seek structures underwater that protect them, and sometimes these structures are artificial.

The Bermuda Triangle refers to the triangular sea area formed by connecting Bermuda, Florida, and Puerto Rico. This area has been known as the "Devil's Sea" due to frequent airplane and ship accidents. Since 1609, unexplained ship disappearances have been reported here, and in many cases, no bodies or wreckage of ships or planes were found after accidents. Since 1945 alone, 61 ships have disappeared in this area, including a Norwegian cargo ship weighing 20,000 tons that vanished without a trace in 1973. The aircraft Barnett and Gadomski were trying to find was a squadron of 19 TBM Avenger torpedo bombers consisting of five planes, which took off from a U.S. Navy airfield in Florida for training flights and disappeared, marking the first recorded airplane disappearance in the Bermuda Triangle. Various hypotheses have been proposed for the frequent accidents here, including electromagnetic waves, gravitational anomalies, currents, and UFO pranks, but the U.S. Coast Guard concluded that "the frequent accidents are purely coincidental."

The Challenger exploded 73 seconds after its launch on January 28, 1986. Photo by AP Yonhap News

NASA announced on the 10th that after analyzing underwater footage, the debris found by the divers is indeed from the Challenger. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said, "Nearly 37 years have passed since the seven brave explorers lost their lives on the Challenger, but this tragedy will forever remain in our memory," adding, "For millions of people around the world, including myself, January 28, 1986, still feels like yesterday." Nelson continued, "This discovery of debris once again honors the legacy of the seven lost pioneers and gives us a chance to reflect on how this tragedy changed us."

The History Channel plans to air a documentary about the discovery process of the Challenger debris on November 22.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.