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WILLIAM SHATNER:
A transnational flight
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vanishes into thin air.
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00:00:07,132 --> 00:00:10,177
A legendary explorer
is lost in the Amazon jungle
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00:00:10,302 --> 00:00:13,096
and is never seen again.
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And a notorious area
in the north Atlantic,
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where entire airplanes...
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disappear.
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When we find out
that someone is lost,
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we like to think
that their disappearance
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00:00:27,236 --> 00:00:29,613
has a rational explanation
and that, at some point,
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they'll return.
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Hopefully safe and sound.
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But what happens
when people don't return
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and the circumstances
of their disappearance
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defy explanation?
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Well...
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that is what
we'll try and find out.
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♪ ♪
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SHATNER:
Malaysia Airlines flight MH370
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prepares to depart from Kuala
Lumpur International Airport
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en route to Beijing.
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On board are 227 passengers
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and a flight crew of 12.
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JOHN NANCE:
Malaysia 370
was a commercial flight.
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Malaysia Airlines
was a routine procedure,
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a routine flight, as we say.
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The flight path was
more or less a straight line
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aimed from Kuala Lumpur
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out over the water
in, uh, the South China Sea
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to the main landfall of China.
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As far as everybody
was concerned,
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it took off normally,
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was flying its route north
towards China.
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TUTTLE:
Then, all of a sudden,
it turned off its communications
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and basically went dark.
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SHATNER:
At about 1:20 a. m.,
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as the plane was flying
over the South China Sea,
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ground control lost
all contact with the plane.
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One second,
the 240‐ton Boeing aircraft
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was emitting
a clear transponder signal
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to air traffic control,
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and then, mere moments later,
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there was nothing.
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The fact that
the signal disappeared‐‐
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that was the unusual element.
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The fact that that transponder,
which was chirping back
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every time it was hit
by the radar beam
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from air traffic control,
went silent.
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MICHIO KAKU:
Flight controllers
frantically tried
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to communicate
with the airplane.
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Nothing. What happened?
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How can you lose a jetliner?
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How can it vanish in thin air?
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SHATNER:
Although the aircraft was lost
on civilian radar screens,
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unbeknownst to ground control,
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military radar was able to track
the plane for another hour.
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And what it detected
was baffling.
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At that point,
when the radios were turned off,
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the flight path did
a 90‐degree turn to the left,
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basically on
a southwestern heading,
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and disappeared
into the vastness
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of the Indian Ocean.
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We don't know the motivation
for doing this.
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We just‐‐ we don't know.
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SHATNER:
Around 2:20 a. m.,
radar contact with the plane
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was lost for good.
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By 7:20 a. m., one hour after
it was scheduled to land,
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authorities in Beijing realized
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that flight MH370 was not going
to reach its destination.
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A search and rescue operation
was immediately launched,
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and it quickly became
the most expensive and difficult
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in aviation history.
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The initial search
was basically, uh,
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aircraft searching
for the immediate wreck,
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looking for any survivors
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or telltale wreckage
on the sea surface.
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Unfortunately, after a while,
things sink.
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Survivors aren't there,
and you go from
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a search and rescue mission to
a search and recovery mission.
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SHATNER:
When the wreckage
did not turn up,
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officials were eventually
forced to admit
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that all 239 people
on board the flight...
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had perished.
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We were clueless as to what
could have caused this tragedy
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right under our noses
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in an era when we have
the Internet, satellite,
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radar communication,
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it just disappears
off the radar screen.
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SHATNER:
The wreckage of the plane,
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despite the efforts of the
world's top aviation experts,
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had seemingly vanished
without a trace.
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00:05:04,721 --> 00:05:07,224
But then,
after months of searching,
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investigators finally
uncovered an important clue.
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Boeing had included
a maintenance reporting thing
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that goes by satellite.
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It was called an ACAR system,
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and Boeing
had installed the system
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to report
maintenance information
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about the engines
in the airplane every hour.
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In this particular case,
it was still pinging away.
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It was saying essentially
to the satellite,
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"Hey, I'm here.
You want any information?"
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SHATNER:
The information revealed
by the ACAR system was shocking.
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It showed that
the plane did not crash
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anywhere near
where it was last detected.
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It actually changed course
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and kept on flying.
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GREG LIEFER: It was flown
for another six hours
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after it made the initial
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diversion from
its intended flight plan,
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and it was flown, uh,
to a very remote area.
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SHATNER:
Based on this data,
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aviation experts believe that
the plane most likely crashed
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somewhere in the southern
portion of the Indian Ocean
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after running out of fuel.
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It seems that the aircraft flew
in the wrong direction
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for thousands of miles
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to a distant part of the ocean
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where there was
no possible place to land.
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But how could
that have happened?
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Initially, the theory that was
proposed by a lot of the media
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was that the pilot in command
committed suicide.
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But, in fact,
the accident report
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clearly stated that...
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the pilot had no history of
emotional or physical problems
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that would preclude suicide,
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and family, friends
and coworkers said
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he had no abnormal behavior
before the flight.
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KAKU:
Other people say,
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no, it was some kind
of mechanical failure.
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If it were to catch on fire,
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the plane could
rapidly depressurize,
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meaning that people
would suffocate very rapidly.
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And I think that
what happened then was
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you had a ghost airplane.
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Everyone was
either dead or dying.
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It was randomly going
back and forth until it finally
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ran out of fuel and crashed
into the Indian Ocean.
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You had theories of, uh,
oxygen, uh, malfunction
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that incapacitated the pilots,
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but I don't think that makes
sense because the aircraft
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certainly appeared to me
like it was being flown manually
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for up to, uh,
at least 30 minutes,
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if not up to an hour, after
it made that hard left turn.
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The thing that
makes the most sense to me
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was some type of hijacking.
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The abrupt maneuvers
that it was making,
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the changes in altitude
and air speed and heading,
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all that indicates to me
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that it was a deliberate,
uh, manipulation
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by other people that took
control of the aircraft.
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But then that poses
the question,
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well, why did they
hijack the aircraft?
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What was the motive?
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And why fly
to the southern Indian Ocean?
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SHATNER:
While the theory that the plane
was hijacked may sound logical,
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authorities thoroughly
checked the background
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of all the passengers and crew,
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and none of them
fit the profile of a hijacker.
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The truth is that, while several
of the explanations
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that have been put forth
seem to have merit,
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we simply don't have
enough information
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to verify any of them.
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We have no way of knowing
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because the cockpit voice
recorder is at the bottom
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of the Indian Ocean someplace.
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But the other
and the most important thing
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to keep in mind is we found
a piece of that airplane.
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A piece of the wing
was found and verified.
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It was washed up on, I believe,
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the shores of Madagascar
or close to it,
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and it was definitively
from this particular airplane,
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so we knew then categorically
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that that airplane
had gone into the Indian Ocean.
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And in this case, this
particular piece of the plane
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had taken about
a year and a half to float
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all the way
across the Indian Ocean.
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LIEFER:
It was one of 27 pieces
that were eventually recovered.
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And it was one of
three pieces out of the 27
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that was positively identified
as coming from the aircraft.
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The aircraft wasn't found,
occupants weren't found,
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but yet 17 months later,
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they find these pieces of debris
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thousands of miles away,
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and that's what makes
this mystery, I think,
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probably the biggest mystery
of all the aviation mysteries.
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SHATNER:
Unfortunately, a few
scattered pieces of wreckage
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are all that remain
of flight MH370,
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its passengers and crew.
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Is the story
a frustrating reminder that,
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in modern times,
the truth can still be elusive
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in spite of all the knowledge
and technology at our disposal?
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For those of us who learned
about this disappearance
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in the news,
that seems to be the case.
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But how much more maddening
would it be to try
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and understand the disappearance
of someone you know?
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Perhaps the answer
can be found by examining
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the case of two
United States congressmen
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00:10:02,227 --> 00:10:04,479
who went missing
nearly 50 years ago
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00:10:04,604 --> 00:10:08,733
and whose families
are still searching for answers.
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SHATNER: A Cessna airplane
taxis into position
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and prepares for departure.
203
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On board the small plane
are four people:
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00:10:26,334 --> 00:10:29,337
the pilot and three passengers.
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00:10:29,504 --> 00:10:33,800
Two of the passengers
are United States congressmen.
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00:10:33,925 --> 00:10:37,720
House Majority Leader
Hale Boggs of Louisiana,
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00:10:37,846 --> 00:10:41,099
and Alaskan
Congressman Nick Begich.
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My dad had a habit
of bringing, uh,
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00:10:43,935 --> 00:10:45,478
his colleagues, uh, to Alaska.
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And‐and the reason he did is
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he wanted people to see
the vastness of it
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00:10:51,317 --> 00:10:53,653
and the richness of the state.
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You can talk about a place,
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but until you're in it,
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00:10:58,116 --> 00:11:01,119
you really have no concept
of‐of any of it.
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00:11:01,202 --> 00:11:06,040
And Alaska‐‐ it's like 20%
of the landmass of the country.
217
00:11:06,166 --> 00:11:09,002
And my dad, uh,
used small planes often
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00:11:09,127 --> 00:11:10,879
because you could take
the side trips,
219
00:11:11,004 --> 00:11:12,839
and he wanted to show
people things.
220
00:11:14,090 --> 00:11:17,177
SHATNER:
At 9:00 a. m., the plane took off
into the foggy morning sky
221
00:11:17,302 --> 00:11:18,720
and headed for Juneau.
222
00:11:18,845 --> 00:11:20,805
They were scheduled
to land there
223
00:11:20,930 --> 00:11:23,850
sometime between 12:00
and 1:00 p. m.
224
00:11:24,893 --> 00:11:26,978
The pilot did not file
a flight plan
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00:11:27,103 --> 00:11:29,147
until ten minutes
after he took off,
226
00:11:29,272 --> 00:11:31,024
which was, uh,
completely uncharacteristic.
227
00:11:31,191 --> 00:11:34,819
He filed the flight plan
by radio transmissions,
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00:11:34,986 --> 00:11:37,530
and the route of flight
he intended to take
229
00:11:37,655 --> 00:11:40,491
was across
Prince William Sound to Yakutat
230
00:11:40,617 --> 00:11:43,203
and then from Yakutat to Juneau.
231
00:11:44,287 --> 00:11:46,623
We know the airplane,
in this particular case,
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00:11:46,706 --> 00:11:49,000
had six hours of fuel,
and it was only about
233
00:11:49,125 --> 00:11:50,835
a three‐and‐a‐half‐hour flight.
234
00:11:50,960 --> 00:11:53,004
And you could get
almost there and turn around
235
00:11:53,129 --> 00:11:55,715
and come back with the fuel
that you had in it,
236
00:11:55,840 --> 00:11:58,384
but they never
made it to Juneau.
237
00:11:58,509 --> 00:12:01,095
SHATNER:
At about 1:15 p. m.,
Air Force officials
238
00:12:01,179 --> 00:12:05,099
were informed that the flight
was overdue to land at Juneau.
239
00:12:05,183 --> 00:12:08,186
When efforts to communicate
with the plane failed,
240
00:12:08,353 --> 00:12:10,980
both the local authorities
and several branches
241
00:12:11,064 --> 00:12:13,066
of the United States military
242
00:12:13,191 --> 00:12:16,819
launched a massive, coordinated
search for the missing Cessna
243
00:12:16,945 --> 00:12:19,239
and the two congressmen aboard.
244
00:12:20,990 --> 00:12:23,826
Throughout the search, there was
30 to 40 aircraft involved
245
00:12:23,910 --> 00:12:26,412
every single day,
and those included assets
246
00:12:26,537 --> 00:12:30,416
from the U. S. Air Force,
the U. S. Army, Civil Air Patrol.
247
00:12:30,541 --> 00:12:33,628
And there was a sea search
that was conducted by ships
248
00:12:33,711 --> 00:12:36,965
from the U. S. Coast Guard
as well.
249
00:12:38,591 --> 00:12:41,302
SHATNER:
After 39 days of searching,
250
00:12:41,386 --> 00:12:45,139
authorities announced that
the plane could not found.
251
00:12:45,265 --> 00:12:48,059
All flight members
were declared dead.
252
00:12:48,184 --> 00:12:51,896
What started as
an adventurous aerial tour
253
00:12:52,021 --> 00:12:54,941
of the Alaskan wilderness
in a small plane
254
00:12:55,024 --> 00:12:56,985
while on the way to Juneau
255
00:12:57,151 --> 00:13:00,238
somehow went horribly wrong.
256
00:13:01,531 --> 00:13:04,659
BEGICH:
My dad was a totally
energetic person.
257
00:13:04,784 --> 00:13:07,161
He was 40 years old
when he was lost.
258
00:13:07,287 --> 00:13:10,915
You never think someone's
going to die at‐at that age
259
00:13:11,040 --> 00:13:14,502
and in the circumstances, uh,
that this happened.
260
00:13:14,627 --> 00:13:17,130
SHATNER:
On the day of the flight,
the weather was reported
261
00:13:17,255 --> 00:13:21,884
"marginal," meaning that flying
conditions were less than ideal.
262
00:13:22,010 --> 00:13:24,679
But not everyone is convinced
that the weather is to blame,
263
00:13:24,846 --> 00:13:27,515
in part because no wreckage
of the crashed plane
264
00:13:27,682 --> 00:13:29,309
was ever found.
265
00:13:29,434 --> 00:13:31,060
And by all accounts,
266
00:13:31,185 --> 00:13:34,480
it should have been found.
267
00:13:34,605 --> 00:13:37,984
LIEFER:
During the search,
every possible area was covered.
268
00:13:38,109 --> 00:13:41,362
They said there was
a 97% probability
269
00:13:41,487 --> 00:13:44,324
it would have been found.
Nothing was ever found.
270
00:13:45,992 --> 00:13:48,828
BEGICH:
They did this massive search
on every level
271
00:13:48,911 --> 00:13:52,040
to come up with
absolutely nothing.
272
00:13:52,165 --> 00:13:54,334
And that was it at the time.
273
00:13:54,500 --> 00:13:57,253
That was all we knew
at the time. The search ended.
274
00:13:59,088 --> 00:14:01,632
SHATNER:
The families of the two
congressmen had no choice
275
00:14:01,758 --> 00:14:05,219
but to accept
that both men had died
276
00:14:05,345 --> 00:14:08,765
and that the full story
behind their disappearance
277
00:14:08,848 --> 00:14:10,600
might never be known.
278
00:14:10,725 --> 00:14:13,686
But then, two decades later,
279
00:14:13,853 --> 00:14:15,938
the family of Congressman Begich
280
00:14:16,022 --> 00:14:19,734
received some startling
new information.
281
00:14:19,859 --> 00:14:21,319
BEGICH:
Years later,
282
00:14:21,402 --> 00:14:23,738
a couple of boxes
of archives showed up
283
00:14:23,863 --> 00:14:25,907
on one of
my brother's doorsteps.
284
00:14:26,908 --> 00:14:29,952
And the files were from the FBI,
285
00:14:30,078 --> 00:14:33,164
and they said that people
had come into the FBI's office,
286
00:14:33,331 --> 00:14:34,999
they said they had
located the plane,
287
00:14:35,124 --> 00:14:36,459
and then said
there were two people
288
00:14:36,584 --> 00:14:37,960
still alive at the crash site.
289
00:14:38,044 --> 00:14:39,796
And so what the FBI had to do
290
00:14:39,921 --> 00:14:41,631
is verify
that the source was valid,
291
00:14:41,798 --> 00:14:44,967
that they really were who they
said they were, and they did.
292
00:14:46,177 --> 00:14:50,139
So you have an agency
confirming the authenticity
293
00:14:50,264 --> 00:14:53,309
of the people
that located the plane,
294
00:14:53,393 --> 00:14:56,104
and two people were
supposed to be alive then.
295
00:14:56,229 --> 00:14:58,564
And that was a shock
because we'd never heard this,
296
00:14:58,689 --> 00:15:01,651
and we had been in touch
with the FBI at the time.
297
00:15:01,776 --> 00:15:06,656
It was traumatic because you
had this unended open question
298
00:15:06,739 --> 00:15:08,783
that never received
a conclusion.
299
00:15:08,866 --> 00:15:11,661
When they were pursuing every
other thing and let us know
300
00:15:11,786 --> 00:15:14,080
about every other thing,
why not this?
301
00:15:14,205 --> 00:15:16,666
SHATNER:
In the years since
the FBI documents revealed
302
00:15:16,833 --> 00:15:20,795
that their father may have
survived the initial crash,
303
00:15:20,920 --> 00:15:23,297
the Begich family
has reexamined the case
304
00:15:23,423 --> 00:15:26,342
by requesting additional
documents and photographs
305
00:15:26,509 --> 00:15:28,469
related to the search
for the plane.
306
00:15:28,636 --> 00:15:32,223
But, on some occasions,
the government seems
307
00:15:32,348 --> 00:15:35,143
to have not fully cooperated
with their requests.
308
00:15:35,226 --> 00:15:38,187
For instance,
when they requested copies
309
00:15:38,312 --> 00:15:40,481
of aerial photographs
taken by the military
310
00:15:40,565 --> 00:15:44,652
SR‐71 reconnaissance airplanes
that flew over the search area,
311
00:15:44,777 --> 00:15:47,572
they got an unexpected answer.
312
00:15:47,697 --> 00:15:51,617
When we asked for the records,
they told us there were none‐‐
313
00:15:51,742 --> 00:15:55,455
that they had gotten rid of
all those SR‐71 overflights,
314
00:15:55,538 --> 00:15:57,790
all of this material
was no longer available.
315
00:15:57,915 --> 00:15:59,417
Which is a lie.
316
00:15:59,542 --> 00:16:01,878
It's a lie because
the government never gets rid of
317
00:16:02,003 --> 00:16:03,546
those SR‐71 overflights.
318
00:16:03,671 --> 00:16:05,798
They're too valuable,
they cost too much money,
319
00:16:05,923 --> 00:16:07,508
and they don't get rid of them.
320
00:16:07,633 --> 00:16:10,178
So, for some reason, they didn't
want us to have the data.
321
00:16:11,429 --> 00:16:13,264
SHATNER:
Did the government
deliberately withhold
322
00:16:13,347 --> 00:16:16,559
aerial photographs
from the search for the plane?
323
00:16:16,684 --> 00:16:18,436
And, if so, were officials
324
00:16:18,561 --> 00:16:21,230
trying to cover up the
possibility that the pictures
325
00:16:21,355 --> 00:16:24,984
might reveal not only
where the plane crashed
326
00:16:25,067 --> 00:16:28,488
but also that two survivors
could have been rescued?
327
00:16:30,156 --> 00:16:32,283
I think all of the people
that engaged in the search
328
00:16:32,408 --> 00:16:34,911
sincerely looked at everything
329
00:16:35,036 --> 00:16:37,455
and continued
to follow up leads,
330
00:16:37,538 --> 00:16:41,584
but I question the honesty
of our government at that time.
331
00:16:41,709 --> 00:16:43,336
There was things
missing in this,
332
00:16:43,461 --> 00:16:46,506
and we don't have the truth
to this day, I'm sure.
333
00:16:46,631 --> 00:16:48,674
So it remains unresolved
334
00:16:48,799 --> 00:16:51,219
until, someday, uh, we can see
335
00:16:51,344 --> 00:16:53,596
the full body of‐of the record.
336
00:16:54,889 --> 00:16:57,975
SHATNER:
Nearly 50 years
after the disappearance
337
00:16:58,100 --> 00:17:01,145
of Congressmen Hale Boggs
and Nick Begich,
338
00:17:01,270 --> 00:17:04,315
the questions and possibilities
339
00:17:04,398 --> 00:17:06,108
seem endless.
340
00:17:06,234 --> 00:17:09,403
While there are many theories
as to what took place,
341
00:17:09,529 --> 00:17:11,864
the truth about
what happened to these two men
342
00:17:11,989 --> 00:17:13,533
remains unknown.
343
00:17:14,659 --> 00:17:17,495
Just like the fate
of another figure who,
344
00:17:17,578 --> 00:17:20,164
after taking
an adventurous risk,
345
00:17:20,248 --> 00:17:21,958
never returned.
346
00:17:22,083 --> 00:17:25,044
An explorer who was
so bold, so daring,
347
00:17:25,169 --> 00:17:27,964
that he may have gotten lost
348
00:17:28,047 --> 00:17:30,258
because he didn't
want to be found.
349
00:17:41,060 --> 00:17:43,938
SHATNER:
Three Englishmen, accompanied
by two Brazilian locals,
350
00:17:44,063 --> 00:17:46,691
make their way
through the dense foliage.
351
00:17:48,025 --> 00:17:50,486
The men are searching
for an ancient lost city
352
00:17:50,653 --> 00:17:52,655
that has been rumored
to be hidden deep
353
00:17:52,822 --> 00:17:54,031
within the rain forest.
354
00:17:54,198 --> 00:17:56,284
The leader of their quest
355
00:17:56,409 --> 00:17:59,662
is an ambitious explorer
who feels that he is on the cusp
356
00:17:59,787 --> 00:18:02,123
of a remarkable discovery.
357
00:18:02,206 --> 00:18:04,166
Colonel Percy Fawcett.
358
00:18:04,292 --> 00:18:07,086
Colonel Percy Fawcett
is a very interesting
359
00:18:07,169 --> 00:18:08,796
historical character.
360
00:18:08,921 --> 00:18:11,299
He was a geographer,
an explorer,
361
00:18:11,382 --> 00:18:14,260
a member of
the World Geographic Society,
362
00:18:14,343 --> 00:18:16,971
and also a military man
for most of his career.
363
00:18:17,096 --> 00:18:19,432
So a very capable individual,
364
00:18:19,557 --> 00:18:22,518
and he was responsible
for exploring and mapping
365
00:18:22,643 --> 00:18:26,606
a lot of the unknown regions
of South America.
366
00:18:26,689 --> 00:18:28,899
So, uh, Colonel Fawcett
makes an interesting
367
00:18:29,025 --> 00:18:30,610
and rather dashing figure.
368
00:18:32,028 --> 00:18:35,197
SHATNER:
After decades spent trekking
through South America,
369
00:18:35,364 --> 00:18:39,243
Fawcett became convinced
that a massive civilization
370
00:18:39,368 --> 00:18:43,914
had once existed somewhere
in the Amazon Jungle.
371
00:18:44,040 --> 00:18:47,418
DEYERMENJIAN: Fawcett came upon
this particular manuscript
372
00:18:47,501 --> 00:18:51,756
that was supposed to have been
written by um bandeirante,
373
00:18:51,839 --> 00:18:54,258
a Portuguese fortune seeker
374
00:18:54,342 --> 00:18:56,636
back in the 1700s.
375
00:18:58,179 --> 00:19:00,806
And it looks to be describing
376
00:19:00,890 --> 00:19:02,850
a particular city there
377
00:19:02,975 --> 00:19:05,019
in the Brazilian Amazon.
378
00:19:05,186 --> 00:19:08,147
LYNNE McNEILL:
That manuscript describes
379
00:19:08,230 --> 00:19:11,525
not just a lost city of ruins
380
00:19:11,651 --> 00:19:15,404
but a lost city
of epic proportions.
381
00:19:16,530 --> 00:19:19,325
A lost city of riches,
a city of gold,
382
00:19:19,408 --> 00:19:22,912
and architectural marvels,
technologically developed,
383
00:19:23,037 --> 00:19:26,707
things that you would
absolutely not expect to find
384
00:19:26,832 --> 00:19:29,377
in the middle
of the South American jungle.
385
00:19:30,503 --> 00:19:32,797
SHATNER:
In time, Fawcett's fascination
386
00:19:32,880 --> 00:19:36,801
with a lost city in the Amazon
turned to obsession.
387
00:19:38,219 --> 00:19:42,181
He even came up with a name for
the place he was searching for.
388
00:19:42,306 --> 00:19:45,685
He called it
"the Lost City of Z."
389
00:19:46,769 --> 00:19:50,106
Armed with clues
from the Portuguese manuscript,
390
00:19:50,189 --> 00:19:52,942
he plunged into
the wilderness once more,
391
00:19:53,067 --> 00:19:55,945
determined to solve the mystery.
392
00:19:57,071 --> 00:20:00,074
His companions were his son Jack
393
00:20:00,199 --> 00:20:03,160
and his son's friend
Raleigh Rimmel.
394
00:20:03,285 --> 00:20:05,579
The geographical challenges
along the routes
395
00:20:05,705 --> 00:20:08,999
that Fawcett
and his party would face
396
00:20:09,083 --> 00:20:13,003
included things like rivers
that were extremely swift
397
00:20:13,129 --> 00:20:16,298
that one could easily have their
feet knocked from under them,
398
00:20:16,424 --> 00:20:18,342
and there would have been
piranha as well
399
00:20:18,467 --> 00:20:20,761
in these areas of Brazil.
400
00:20:20,845 --> 00:20:23,723
And the swamps, the marshes,
401
00:20:23,848 --> 00:20:27,977
were particularly virulent
as far as disease, insects
402
00:20:28,102 --> 00:20:30,354
and geographical difficulties.
403
00:20:31,856 --> 00:20:35,276
SHATNER:
As Fawcett moved deeper
into the heart of the Amazon,
404
00:20:35,359 --> 00:20:36,986
he wrote about his progress
405
00:20:37,111 --> 00:20:39,321
and gave his notes
to native guides
406
00:20:39,447 --> 00:20:41,615
who carried them
back to civilization.
407
00:20:41,699 --> 00:20:44,577
The newspapers eagerly
published the details
408
00:20:44,702 --> 00:20:47,663
of his latest exploits,
portraying the explorer
409
00:20:47,747 --> 00:20:51,959
as an international hero
on the verge of making history.
410
00:20:52,126 --> 00:20:55,629
DEYERMENJIAN:
Colonel Fawcett was
a world‐known celebrity.
411
00:20:55,713 --> 00:20:58,424
His exploits were
followed in the press
412
00:20:58,549 --> 00:21:00,968
and, uh, were quite popular
and quite well known.
413
00:21:03,721 --> 00:21:06,432
We know what we know
of Colonel Percy Fawcett
414
00:21:06,557 --> 00:21:09,310
largely from his own writings,
415
00:21:09,435 --> 00:21:12,980
stories about
encounters that he had
416
00:21:13,147 --> 00:21:16,275
with native peoples in Brazil,
417
00:21:16,358 --> 00:21:20,029
stories of having arrows
drawn on him threateningly.
418
00:21:20,196 --> 00:21:24,366
He tells the story
of a 62‐foot anaconda
419
00:21:24,492 --> 00:21:27,495
that he shot
in the spine and killed
420
00:21:27,620 --> 00:21:31,540
as he was canoeing through
the waters down the Amazon.
421
00:21:33,584 --> 00:21:37,129
LAYNE: He writes a letter
to his wife and says,
422
00:21:37,296 --> 00:21:39,048
"There's no fear of failure."
423
00:21:39,173 --> 00:21:42,009
He apparently thinks
he's right on top of it,
424
00:21:42,134 --> 00:21:44,094
that he's going to find it,
425
00:21:44,220 --> 00:21:46,472
this lost city,
426
00:21:46,597 --> 00:21:48,265
and then he vanishes.
427
00:21:49,767 --> 00:21:52,061
SHATNER:
Six weeks after
the expedition started,
428
00:21:52,186 --> 00:21:54,480
Fawcett's letters
stopped coming,
429
00:21:54,605 --> 00:21:56,941
and people around the world
began to fear
430
00:21:57,066 --> 00:22:00,110
that something terrible
had happened to the explorer
431
00:22:00,236 --> 00:22:02,404
and his team.
432
00:22:02,530 --> 00:22:05,950
After weeks, months
and eventually years of waiting
433
00:22:06,033 --> 00:22:08,327
with no word from him,
434
00:22:08,410 --> 00:22:11,205
it became clear that
Colonel Percy Fawcett,
435
00:22:11,330 --> 00:22:14,500
his son Jack,
and friend Raleigh Rimmel
436
00:22:14,667 --> 00:22:17,378
would never return
from the jungle.
437
00:22:20,172 --> 00:22:22,716
TOK THOMPSON:
There was a great interest
in what could have happened.
438
00:22:22,842 --> 00:22:24,677
Some people thought
he might have been murdered
439
00:22:24,802 --> 00:22:26,971
by the local indigenous groups.
440
00:22:27,096 --> 00:22:29,473
Other people thought that
maybe some, uh, bandits
441
00:22:29,598 --> 00:22:31,976
that were operating in this
area, uh, might have killed him.
442
00:22:32,101 --> 00:22:34,812
Some people even said that,
look, maybe he found it.
443
00:22:34,895 --> 00:22:37,314
Maybe he found
his Lost City of Z
444
00:22:37,439 --> 00:22:39,984
and just decided to stay there
the rest of his life.
445
00:22:41,235 --> 00:22:43,737
SHATNER:
The Lost City of Z
446
00:22:43,863 --> 00:22:45,531
found at last?
447
00:22:45,656 --> 00:22:48,492
Is it possible
that Fawcett's dream
448
00:22:48,617 --> 00:22:50,828
actually became a reality?
449
00:22:50,953 --> 00:22:53,998
Brian Fawcett,
uh, his youngest son,
450
00:22:54,123 --> 00:22:57,251
reported that
there's a distinct possibility
451
00:22:57,376 --> 00:23:01,046
that Percy Fawcett
did not intend to return.
452
00:23:01,171 --> 00:23:03,299
That, for him,
if he did find it,
453
00:23:03,465 --> 00:23:06,927
it being the capstone
to what he was looking for,
454
00:23:07,052 --> 00:23:08,929
he might not have intended
455
00:23:09,054 --> 00:23:11,640
to ever leave the jungle.
456
00:23:11,765 --> 00:23:14,310
LAYNE:
If you have dedicated
your life now
457
00:23:14,476 --> 00:23:18,814
to finding this lost city
of treasure and gold,
458
00:23:18,981 --> 00:23:21,233
and you actually find it,
459
00:23:21,358 --> 00:23:24,653
maybe you don't want to reveal
it to the rest of the world.
460
00:23:24,778 --> 00:23:28,157
Maybe it's perfection,
it's paradise,
461
00:23:28,324 --> 00:23:31,035
maybe you can
make the choice to stay.
462
00:23:34,455 --> 00:23:37,249
Was the treacherous jungle,
463
00:23:37,374 --> 00:23:39,460
insufferable heat
464
00:23:39,585 --> 00:23:41,629
and a face‐off
with a giant anaconda
465
00:23:41,754 --> 00:23:45,674
all too much for Colonel
Percy Fawcett and his team?
466
00:23:45,799 --> 00:23:49,303
Or, as some people suggest,
467
00:23:49,470 --> 00:23:52,181
did Fawcett make
such an incredible
468
00:23:52,306 --> 00:23:54,683
archaeological discovery
469
00:23:54,850 --> 00:23:57,978
that he chose to never leave it?
470
00:23:58,062 --> 00:24:01,357
Perhaps further clues about
the nature of obsessions
471
00:24:01,482 --> 00:24:03,943
and their consequences
472
00:24:04,026 --> 00:24:06,487
can be found by examining
the life of an author
473
00:24:06,612 --> 00:24:09,823
who helped to pioneer
the science fiction genre
474
00:24:09,949 --> 00:24:12,576
and whose greatest story
may have been...
475
00:24:14,036 --> 00:24:15,829
...his own disappearance.
476
00:24:26,840 --> 00:24:28,926
SHATNER:
While serving in the Union Army,
477
00:24:29,009 --> 00:24:32,179
22‐year‐old
Lieutenant Ambrose Bierce
478
00:24:32,346 --> 00:24:34,848
is shot in the head by a sniper.
479
00:24:36,767 --> 00:24:39,478
The bullet goes
into his left temple
480
00:24:39,603 --> 00:24:42,481
and lodges behind his left ear.
481
00:24:42,564 --> 00:24:45,109
And it's too deep, at that time,
482
00:24:45,234 --> 00:24:48,320
for them to do some kind
of operation to remove.
483
00:24:48,404 --> 00:24:51,490
So he lives the rest of his life
484
00:24:51,615 --> 00:24:54,034
with a bullet in his head.
485
00:24:54,159 --> 00:24:56,912
LAYNE:
Some of the people
who knew Bierce say that
486
00:24:57,037 --> 00:25:01,583
this brain injury
caused him to become strange.
487
00:25:01,709 --> 00:25:05,838
It caused him to start seeing
the world in a more morbid way.
488
00:25:05,963 --> 00:25:09,633
And after his experience
in the Civil War,
489
00:25:09,800 --> 00:25:13,345
he wrote
very memorable short stories
490
00:25:13,470 --> 00:25:16,015
that were filled
with the supernatural.
491
00:25:17,016 --> 00:25:18,767
SHATNER:
Ambrose Bierce is best known
492
00:25:18,851 --> 00:25:20,978
for writing short stories
that involve
493
00:25:21,103 --> 00:25:24,565
paranormal incidents
and strange disappearances.
494
00:25:24,690 --> 00:25:26,734
One intriguing story
495
00:25:26,859 --> 00:25:31,196
that he wrote for the
San Francisco Examiner in 1888
496
00:25:31,321 --> 00:25:34,908
was titled "The Difficulty
of Crossing a Field."
497
00:25:37,202 --> 00:25:39,329
HAWKES:
"The Difficulty
of Crossing a Field"
498
00:25:39,496 --> 00:25:41,373
was about an Alabama farmer
who one day
499
00:25:41,498 --> 00:25:43,542
was taking a walk
across the field...
500
00:25:45,169 --> 00:25:46,795
...when he just disappeared.
501
00:25:46,920 --> 00:25:48,630
He was gone.
502
00:25:48,797 --> 00:25:51,300
And years later, his wife
would say that she could hear
503
00:25:51,383 --> 00:25:52,968
his voice from time to time,
504
00:25:53,135 --> 00:25:55,179
but he wasn't there.
505
00:25:55,304 --> 00:25:58,599
In the story, Ambrose Bierce
was trying to show us
506
00:25:58,724 --> 00:26:01,351
that this man traveled
interdimensionally
507
00:26:01,518 --> 00:26:03,312
to another place.
508
00:26:03,395 --> 00:26:06,523
SHATNER:
Bierce's stories hinted
at alternate worlds
509
00:26:06,648 --> 00:26:08,734
and parallel dimensions
510
00:26:08,859 --> 00:26:11,487
and helped to pioneer
the science fiction genre.
511
00:26:11,653 --> 00:26:15,240
But in December of 1913,
Bierce, who by then
512
00:26:15,365 --> 00:26:18,452
was one of America's most
prominent literary figures,
513
00:26:18,535 --> 00:26:20,704
left the country.
514
00:26:23,290 --> 00:26:25,250
He headed south of the border
515
00:26:25,334 --> 00:26:28,295
because he wanted to witness
the Mexican Revolution
516
00:26:28,378 --> 00:26:30,130
taking place at the time.
517
00:26:30,297 --> 00:26:32,800
LAYNE:
He's 71 years old
518
00:26:32,925 --> 00:26:35,135
when he crosses the border
519
00:26:35,260 --> 00:26:37,888
to supposedly join Pancho Villa,
520
00:26:38,013 --> 00:26:41,558
the great
revolutionary of Mexico.
521
00:26:41,683 --> 00:26:44,311
He writes
one letter in particular
522
00:26:44,394 --> 00:26:47,106
to his niece Laura, and he says,
523
00:26:47,189 --> 00:26:50,818
"Goodbye. If you hear
of my being stood up
524
00:26:50,943 --> 00:26:54,655
against a Mexican stone wall
and shot to rags..."
525
00:26:54,738 --> 00:26:56,782
‐MAN: Fire!
‐(gunshots)
526
00:26:56,865 --> 00:26:59,451
"...please know that I think
it's a pretty good way
527
00:26:59,535 --> 00:27:02,704
"to depart this life.
528
00:27:02,830 --> 00:27:05,749
Affectionately yours, Ambrose."
529
00:27:06,834 --> 00:27:09,211
SHATNER:
While in the city of Juárez,
530
00:27:09,336 --> 00:27:12,965
Bierce joined Pancho Villa's
army as an observer.
531
00:27:13,090 --> 00:27:15,300
He then followed the army south
532
00:27:15,425 --> 00:27:17,469
as far as the city of Chihuahua.
533
00:27:17,594 --> 00:27:20,430
On December 26, 1913,
534
00:27:20,556 --> 00:27:22,474
Bierce sent
a letter to a friend,
535
00:27:22,599 --> 00:27:24,601
which he ended cryptically
by saying:
536
00:27:24,685 --> 00:27:27,646
"As for me, I leave tomorrow
537
00:27:27,729 --> 00:27:30,149
for an unknown destination."
538
00:27:33,318 --> 00:27:36,822
The eccentric author
was never heard from again.
539
00:27:36,947 --> 00:27:39,575
After writing about
people who disappear,
540
00:27:39,700 --> 00:27:42,161
Bierce himself disappeared
541
00:27:42,286 --> 00:27:45,914
like a character
in one of his own stories.
542
00:27:47,541 --> 00:27:51,420
There are eyewitness reports
of Ambrose Bierce dying
543
00:27:51,545 --> 00:27:55,299
all over Mexico
at different times
544
00:27:55,424 --> 00:27:57,885
separated by years.
545
00:27:58,010 --> 00:28:01,054
McNEILL:
We have a plethora
of different stories
546
00:28:01,180 --> 00:28:03,557
of people reporting
that he was executed,
547
00:28:03,682 --> 00:28:05,726
of people reporting that
he died of illness,
548
00:28:05,851 --> 00:28:08,353
of people reporting where
and when they last saw him
549
00:28:08,478 --> 00:28:09,730
and who he was with.
550
00:28:09,855 --> 00:28:13,650
All we know is that he was gone.
551
00:28:14,860 --> 00:28:16,778
SHATNER:
Reports of Bierce's death
552
00:28:16,904 --> 00:28:21,366
would continue to surface for
years after his disappearance.
553
00:28:21,491 --> 00:28:24,494
But for many, these stories
are not as convincing
554
00:28:24,620 --> 00:28:27,748
as the idea
that Bierce traveled south
555
00:28:27,873 --> 00:28:30,000
not to join in a civil war
556
00:28:30,167 --> 00:28:33,837
but rather
to visit a remote location
557
00:28:34,004 --> 00:28:37,549
that had captured
his dark imagination.
558
00:28:37,674 --> 00:28:39,635
An area known as
559
00:28:39,801 --> 00:28:42,721
the Zone of Silence.
560
00:28:42,846 --> 00:28:47,100
One of the more popular theories
about his disappearance
561
00:28:47,184 --> 00:28:51,146
is that he follows Pancho Villa
into this mysterious area
562
00:28:51,230 --> 00:28:53,565
called the Zone of Silence,
which was locally known
563
00:28:53,690 --> 00:28:55,984
as a place where people vanish,
564
00:28:56,068 --> 00:28:58,695
where there are odd occurrences.
565
00:28:59,863 --> 00:29:02,658
GANDER:
When Bierce
takes that trip to Mexico,
566
00:29:02,783 --> 00:29:05,369
if he wasn't killed
along the way,
567
00:29:05,535 --> 00:29:07,996
he would have passed through
the Zona del Silencio.
568
00:29:09,122 --> 00:29:12,292
The Zona del Silencio‐‐
it's known as a place
569
00:29:12,417 --> 00:29:14,169
that's full of meteorites.
570
00:29:14,336 --> 00:29:17,839
There's a lot of magnetite
in the rock around,
571
00:29:18,006 --> 00:29:20,801
which people say
makes it certain
572
00:29:20,926 --> 00:29:23,971
that radio waves
don't travel out of there.
573
00:29:24,096 --> 00:29:26,807
The modern ranchers and
cattlemen that live in the area
574
00:29:26,932 --> 00:29:30,060
have lots of stories to tell
about strange lights in the sky,
575
00:29:30,185 --> 00:29:34,773
even strange encounters
with individuals in the desert,
576
00:29:34,898 --> 00:29:37,192
and it is indeed mysterious.
577
00:29:37,317 --> 00:29:39,278
SHATNER:
Curiously, if you
trace the route
578
00:29:39,361 --> 00:29:41,905
that Bierce traveled
with the Mexican army,
579
00:29:42,030 --> 00:29:44,574
it appears that
he was headed directly
580
00:29:44,700 --> 00:29:47,577
for the center
of the Zone of Silence.
581
00:29:47,703 --> 00:29:51,415
But what was he hoping to find?
582
00:29:51,540 --> 00:29:54,293
HAWKES:
We don't really know
what happened to Ambrose Bierce.
583
00:29:54,376 --> 00:29:58,380
The theory is that Bierce,
within the Zone of Silence,
584
00:29:58,505 --> 00:30:00,966
may have discovered or mastered
585
00:30:01,091 --> 00:30:03,260
supernatural methods
of traveling
586
00:30:03,343 --> 00:30:04,803
from one place to another
587
00:30:04,970 --> 00:30:08,515
and may have transported,
as in his stories,
588
00:30:08,682 --> 00:30:10,642
to an interdimensional space,
589
00:30:10,809 --> 00:30:13,895
never to be heard from again.
590
00:30:15,772 --> 00:30:18,400
Is Ambrose Bierce
591
00:30:18,525 --> 00:30:21,653
buried in some unmarked grave
south of the border?
592
00:30:21,737 --> 00:30:23,739
Or, perhaps more intriguingly,
593
00:30:23,864 --> 00:30:27,826
did Ambrose Bierce
even die at all?
594
00:30:29,036 --> 00:30:30,704
There are some who even suggest
595
00:30:30,829 --> 00:30:32,956
that he was
accidently transported
596
00:30:33,081 --> 00:30:35,292
into another dimension.
597
00:30:35,417 --> 00:30:37,169
Sounds preposterous, huh?
598
00:30:38,378 --> 00:30:41,965
Well, for those who are familiar
with the Bermuda Triangle,
599
00:30:42,132 --> 00:30:45,635
it's a question
that is not as crazy
600
00:30:45,761 --> 00:30:47,429
as it may seem.
601
00:30:58,190 --> 00:31:00,942
SHATNER:
A squadron
of Navy torpedo bombers,
602
00:31:01,068 --> 00:31:03,445
collectively known as Flight 19,
603
00:31:03,528 --> 00:31:06,823
takes off for what is supposed
to be a routine training mission
604
00:31:06,948 --> 00:31:08,533
over the Atlantic Ocean.
605
00:31:11,453 --> 00:31:15,165
LIEFER: It was five
U. S. Navy TBM patrol bombers
606
00:31:15,248 --> 00:31:17,626
that were flying on basically
607
00:31:17,709 --> 00:31:20,420
a, uh, practice
navigation mission.
608
00:31:21,671 --> 00:31:24,174
It was the last flight
609
00:31:24,299 --> 00:31:27,594
that was required by the cadets
before graduation.
610
00:31:28,970 --> 00:31:32,057
The flight leader said that
both of his compasses
611
00:31:32,182 --> 00:31:34,309
on board his aircraft
weren't operable.
612
00:31:34,434 --> 00:31:36,853
(alarm buzzing)
613
00:31:37,020 --> 00:31:40,315
Well, the chances
of both compasses going bad
614
00:31:40,440 --> 00:31:42,901
at the same time
is just extremely remote.
615
00:31:43,026 --> 00:31:45,028
And there was also confusion
616
00:31:45,153 --> 00:31:48,657
between the flight leader
and the student pilots
617
00:31:48,824 --> 00:31:50,659
about which way
they should be going.
618
00:31:50,826 --> 00:31:54,454
SHATNER:
All five planes experienced
equipment malfunctions,
619
00:31:54,538 --> 00:31:58,750
and then all five
disappeared from radar.
620
00:31:58,875 --> 00:32:01,044
Their last communication
consisted of
621
00:32:01,169 --> 00:32:04,423
nothing but eerie static.
622
00:32:07,008 --> 00:32:08,802
KAKU:
This is unprecedented.
623
00:32:08,885 --> 00:32:10,846
Navy crewmen in airplanes
624
00:32:11,012 --> 00:32:13,598
simply disappear
off the face of the Earth.
625
00:32:13,682 --> 00:32:17,102
Now, of course, hundreds
of theories have been proposed.
626
00:32:17,227 --> 00:32:19,229
The most logical theory
is the weather.
627
00:32:19,354 --> 00:32:21,773
Perhaps there was
a sudden hurricane
628
00:32:21,898 --> 00:32:23,650
that came out of nowhere,
629
00:32:23,775 --> 00:32:25,902
and people got confused.
630
00:32:26,027 --> 00:32:29,072
And, as a consequence,
they dove right into the water.
631
00:32:30,198 --> 00:32:32,534
But the record
and the data is sparse,
632
00:32:32,659 --> 00:32:35,996
and that's because
our technology, our sensors,
633
00:32:36,163 --> 00:32:38,290
were very primitive back then.
634
00:32:38,415 --> 00:32:41,376
So there is a chance
that 100 years from now,
635
00:32:41,501 --> 00:32:44,087
we'll still be debating
what happened.
636
00:32:44,171 --> 00:32:46,506
SHATNER:
The disappearance of Flight 19
637
00:32:46,631 --> 00:32:49,301
is just one of the many
mysterious vanishings
638
00:32:49,426 --> 00:32:53,472
that have taken place in
that part of the Atlantic Ocean.
639
00:32:53,597 --> 00:32:56,808
An area that is now known as
640
00:32:56,933 --> 00:32:59,060
the Bermuda Triangle.
641
00:33:01,188 --> 00:33:04,024
Airplanes, boats and people
have just disappeared
642
00:33:04,149 --> 00:33:06,568
for as long as we've been
keeping records of travel
643
00:33:06,693 --> 00:33:07,694
through that area.
644
00:33:08,987 --> 00:33:11,448
And it's been
very much a mystery of:
645
00:33:11,531 --> 00:33:13,408
"Is there something
special about it?"
646
00:33:13,533 --> 00:33:16,286
Do the characteristics
of the Bermuda Triangle
647
00:33:16,411 --> 00:33:20,832
make it a unique or, uh,
individual body of water?
648
00:33:20,957 --> 00:33:22,501
In‐in some ways, yes.
649
00:33:22,667 --> 00:33:24,377
You go from Bermuda,
650
00:33:24,503 --> 00:33:28,298
1,000 miles southwest
to Florida,
651
00:33:28,465 --> 00:33:31,843
you go about 1,000 miles
over to Puerto Rico,
652
00:33:32,010 --> 00:33:34,846
and then you go back 1,000 miles
north to Bermuda.
653
00:33:34,971 --> 00:33:38,266
That is almost
a perfect isosceles triangle.
654
00:33:40,810 --> 00:33:42,354
DENNIN:
The Bermuda Triangle area,
655
00:33:42,479 --> 00:33:44,523
because you're right near
the jet stream...
656
00:33:46,691 --> 00:33:49,653
...you do have extremes
of weather and ocean conditions.
657
00:33:53,031 --> 00:33:54,866
All of these will interact
658
00:33:54,991 --> 00:33:56,660
with the electromagnetic
field of the Earth.
659
00:33:58,203 --> 00:34:00,497
And so it's
definitely a possibility
660
00:34:00,664 --> 00:34:04,626
that you have
some sort of magnetic anomaly.
661
00:34:04,751 --> 00:34:08,380
When you think about
possible reasons that people
662
00:34:08,505 --> 00:34:10,966
have weird experiences
in the Bermuda Triangle,
663
00:34:11,132 --> 00:34:13,218
that could be a potential cause.
664
00:34:14,302 --> 00:34:17,889
SHATNER:
When Flight 19
disappeared in 1945,
665
00:34:18,014 --> 00:34:19,474
there were many theories,
666
00:34:19,558 --> 00:34:21,643
but none of them
could completely explain
667
00:34:21,726 --> 00:34:24,980
the strange incidents
that continued to occur
668
00:34:25,146 --> 00:34:27,107
in this mysterious area.
669
00:34:28,858 --> 00:34:31,403
Then, in 1970,
670
00:34:31,528 --> 00:34:34,823
a young aviator happened to fly
through the Bermuda Triangle
671
00:34:34,906 --> 00:34:37,867
and had no choice
672
00:34:38,034 --> 00:34:40,495
but to face
the forces that exist there.
673
00:34:40,620 --> 00:34:44,833
But this time, the pilot
lived to tell the tale.
674
00:34:49,337 --> 00:34:53,008
Pilot Bruce Gernon
is flying his small plane
675
00:34:53,133 --> 00:34:55,302
100 miles
off the coast of Miami.
676
00:34:56,303 --> 00:34:59,222
I've made
several hundred flights
677
00:34:59,347 --> 00:35:02,309
flying in the area
of the Bermuda Triangle.
678
00:35:03,351 --> 00:35:05,937
But this time,
I found myself surrounded
679
00:35:06,021 --> 00:35:07,731
by this strange storm.
680
00:35:10,025 --> 00:35:13,069
There was only one exit
that I could find,
681
00:35:13,194 --> 00:35:15,447
and I call it a tunnel vortex
682
00:35:15,572 --> 00:35:18,825
because these small
puffs of clouds formed
683
00:35:18,950 --> 00:35:20,910
around the walls of the tunnel,
684
00:35:21,036 --> 00:35:23,580
and it was rotating
slowly counterclockwise,
685
00:35:23,705 --> 00:35:28,460
and it was probably
700 feet wide when I entered it.
686
00:35:31,671 --> 00:35:35,091
I didn't want to do it, because
I've been taught not to fly
687
00:35:35,175 --> 00:35:38,845
through horizontal tunnels
between storms.
688
00:35:38,970 --> 00:35:41,806
But it was so critical
that I decided
689
00:35:41,931 --> 00:35:44,768
that I would go ahead and do it.
690
00:35:45,935 --> 00:35:48,063
SHATNER:
Bruce experienced
some terrifying moments,
691
00:35:48,188 --> 00:35:50,732
but, fortunately,
he was able to make it
692
00:35:50,857 --> 00:35:52,776
out of the tunnel alive.
693
00:35:55,070 --> 00:35:57,697
But when he looked
at his flight readings,
694
00:35:57,822 --> 00:36:00,283
he realized that his escape
695
00:36:00,408 --> 00:36:03,411
was even more incredible
than he thought.
696
00:36:04,537 --> 00:36:06,498
GERNON:
When I entered
the tunnel vortex,
697
00:36:06,623 --> 00:36:10,126
my navigational instruments said
that I was 100 miles
698
00:36:10,210 --> 00:36:12,253
east of Miami.
699
00:36:13,505 --> 00:36:17,217
I was in the tunnel for
three minutes and 20 seconds.
700
00:36:17,342 --> 00:36:19,302
And when I reached
the other end,
701
00:36:19,386 --> 00:36:22,472
I ended up
right over Miami Beach.
702
00:36:22,555 --> 00:36:26,810
So it only took
three minutes and 20 seconds
703
00:36:26,893 --> 00:36:28,937
to fly 100 miles.
704
00:36:29,062 --> 00:36:32,023
So I realized,
right at that point,
705
00:36:32,190 --> 00:36:34,734
that something unexplainable
had just happened.
706
00:36:34,859 --> 00:36:36,945
SHATNER:
100 miles?
707
00:36:37,028 --> 00:36:39,280
In only three minutes
and 20 seconds?
708
00:36:39,406 --> 00:36:41,658
Bruce's plane would have
to have been traveling
709
00:36:41,741 --> 00:36:43,827
1,800 miles per hour
710
00:36:43,993 --> 00:36:46,830
to cross that distance
in such a short amount of time,
711
00:36:46,955 --> 00:36:48,498
a speed that his small plane
712
00:36:48,581 --> 00:36:51,584
was not even remotely
capable of.
713
00:36:51,668 --> 00:36:55,296
Does Bruce's flight suggest
that the disappearances
714
00:36:55,380 --> 00:36:57,590
that take place within
the Bermuda Triangle
715
00:36:57,674 --> 00:37:02,637
are the result of time
and space being somehow altered?
716
00:37:02,762 --> 00:37:07,142
I believe that Flight 19
experienced the same type
717
00:37:07,267 --> 00:37:10,311
of phenomenon
of the tunnel vortex
718
00:37:10,395 --> 00:37:12,147
that I experienced.
719
00:37:12,313 --> 00:37:14,315
They didn't know their position,
720
00:37:14,482 --> 00:37:16,359
and so you get totally confused
721
00:37:16,526 --> 00:37:20,739
and end up in a graveyard spiral
and crash into the sea.
722
00:37:20,864 --> 00:37:24,743
I was just fortunate
because I didn't get confused.
723
00:37:26,411 --> 00:37:29,038
If someone doesn't believe
what I experienced,
724
00:37:29,205 --> 00:37:30,790
I like to say to them
725
00:37:30,874 --> 00:37:33,126
the only way to discover
726
00:37:33,209 --> 00:37:35,587
the limits of the possible
727
00:37:35,670 --> 00:37:39,174
is to go beyond them
into the impossible.
728
00:37:39,299 --> 00:37:40,759
And that's what I did.
729
00:37:42,343 --> 00:37:44,137
SHATNER:
Are the strange occurrences
730
00:37:44,220 --> 00:37:46,222
that take place
within the Bermuda Triangle
731
00:37:46,347 --> 00:37:49,309
proof that we don't
understand our planet
732
00:37:49,434 --> 00:37:51,394
as well as we think?
733
00:37:51,519 --> 00:37:53,480
It's an intriguing possibility.
734
00:37:53,605 --> 00:37:57,233
But if there are
locations on Earth
735
00:37:57,358 --> 00:38:00,361
that cause bizarre vanishings,
736
00:38:00,528 --> 00:38:03,323
should we try
to investigate those places?
737
00:38:03,448 --> 00:38:07,118
Or are we better off
avoiding them
738
00:38:07,202 --> 00:38:17,128
at all costs?
739
00:38:19,798 --> 00:38:21,925
SHATNER:
Photographer Charles McCullar
740
00:38:22,050 --> 00:38:25,678
hikes around the rim of
this picturesque body of water.
741
00:38:26,888 --> 00:38:30,350
But what starts out as
a simple walk through nature...
742
00:38:30,517 --> 00:38:33,269
quickly turns tragic.
743
00:38:34,729 --> 00:38:37,148
ERATO:
Charles planned a two‐day
excursion to Crater Lake
744
00:38:37,315 --> 00:38:39,359
to snap winter photography.
745
00:38:39,526 --> 00:38:41,986
But he trudged out
through the park entrance
746
00:38:42,070 --> 00:38:43,571
and was never seen again.
747
00:38:44,864 --> 00:38:48,743
SHATNER:
Authorities tried for months
to find Charles with no luck.
748
00:38:48,868 --> 00:38:50,703
It wasn't until
nearly two years later
749
00:38:50,829 --> 00:38:52,831
that they got
a break in the case
750
00:38:52,997 --> 00:38:56,668
when his body was found
in a remote part of the park.
751
00:38:59,087 --> 00:39:01,548
The most baffling aspect
of the Charles McCullar case,
752
00:39:01,673 --> 00:39:04,092
besides the way that
the remains were found,
753
00:39:04,217 --> 00:39:06,177
was where
the remains were found.
754
00:39:06,302 --> 00:39:09,264
It's about 14 miles
from the park entrance,
755
00:39:09,389 --> 00:39:11,432
so he would have
had to trudge over
756
00:39:11,558 --> 00:39:13,434
105 inches of new snow,
757
00:39:13,518 --> 00:39:16,437
with some areas
having 20‐foot snowdrifts,
758
00:39:16,521 --> 00:39:19,649
14 miles
to a remote part of the park.
759
00:39:19,774 --> 00:39:22,735
So how did Charles
get that far into the park?
760
00:39:24,153 --> 00:39:28,408
LAYNE:
The weird part that
lingers with his story is:
761
00:39:28,533 --> 00:39:32,996
how did his human remains
end up so far away
762
00:39:33,079 --> 00:39:37,000
from where he was,
and why were they found
763
00:39:37,125 --> 00:39:40,545
so long after the fact
of his disappearance?
764
00:39:40,670 --> 00:39:43,006
Search teams
had been looking for him
765
00:39:43,131 --> 00:39:44,799
from the week he disappeared.
766
00:39:46,259 --> 00:39:50,054
SHATNER:
The idea that someone
could hike 14 miles
767
00:39:50,179 --> 00:39:51,973
in eight feet of snow
768
00:39:52,140 --> 00:39:54,100
is a little hard to imagine.
769
00:39:55,310 --> 00:39:58,021
But, on the other hand,
Crater Lake has been the site
770
00:39:58,146 --> 00:40:03,026
of similarly inexplicable
occurrences for centuries.
771
00:40:04,319 --> 00:40:05,737
ERATO:
Crater Lake is a hotbed
772
00:40:05,862 --> 00:40:07,780
for stories
about paranormal activity
773
00:40:07,864 --> 00:40:10,825
and just
supernatural occurrences.
774
00:40:10,950 --> 00:40:13,411
There are stories
of people vanishing,
775
00:40:13,536 --> 00:40:16,497
and it ties back
to local native tribes
776
00:40:16,623 --> 00:40:19,500
that have lived in the area
thinking that it was
777
00:40:19,667 --> 00:40:22,503
basically the location for
the devil on the planet Earth.
778
00:40:23,755 --> 00:40:26,591
SHATNER:
Is it possible
for a place like Crater Lake
779
00:40:26,716 --> 00:40:30,053
to be imbued
with some kind of dark power?
780
00:40:32,722 --> 00:40:35,224
The native people of that area
781
00:40:35,350 --> 00:40:37,560
had a largely sacred
understanding
782
00:40:37,685 --> 00:40:39,479
of that particular
body of water.
783
00:40:39,646 --> 00:40:43,399
And when we have a place,
a geographic location,
784
00:40:43,524 --> 00:40:46,402
that's recognized as powerful,
785
00:40:46,527 --> 00:40:51,616
when individuals approach
that area, unknowing‐‐
786
00:40:51,699 --> 00:40:54,243
or disrespectful,
perhaps, even‐‐
787
00:40:54,369 --> 00:40:56,329
of the power that's there,
788
00:40:56,454 --> 00:40:59,123
the story never ends well.
789
00:41:00,541 --> 00:41:02,627
ERATO:
When someone vanishes
in the wilderness,
790
00:41:02,710 --> 00:41:05,129
we have a lot of modern‐day
technology that's used
791
00:41:05,296 --> 00:41:07,090
in the recovery
to go find people,
792
00:41:07,215 --> 00:41:08,716
and it works most of the time,
793
00:41:08,841 --> 00:41:10,843
but what drives
public fascination about
794
00:41:10,969 --> 00:41:13,888
a lot of these mysteries
are the vanishings
795
00:41:14,013 --> 00:41:16,474
where none of that technology
seems to work.
796
00:41:16,599 --> 00:41:19,352
We have all this stuff
at our disposal,
797
00:41:19,477 --> 00:41:21,145
and it turns up nothing.
798
00:41:21,312 --> 00:41:23,439
And nobody can explain why.
799
00:41:26,859 --> 00:41:30,530
So what do you think about
these bizarre vanishings?
800
00:41:30,655 --> 00:41:33,366
Could they all be the result
of tragic accidents?
801
00:41:33,491 --> 00:41:34,993
Foul play?
802
00:41:35,118 --> 00:41:40,289
Or might extra‐dimensional
forces be at work?
803
00:41:40,415 --> 00:41:42,500
Well, in any case,
it's safe to say that
804
00:41:42,625 --> 00:41:45,670
these mysterious disappearances
805
00:41:45,837 --> 00:41:48,798
force us to challenge
our preconceived notions
806
00:41:48,923 --> 00:41:52,385
about what we believe is fact,
807
00:41:52,510 --> 00:41:54,804
what we believe is fiction
808
00:41:54,887 --> 00:41:59,142
and what we're willing
to accept as being simply...
809
00:41:59,267 --> 00:42:00,977
unexplained.
810
00:42:01,102 --> 00:42:03,479
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