Oct 19, 2025In 2022, Michael Barnette and Jimmy Gadomski embarked on an expedition to scour the ocean floor for the wreckage of Flight 19 — five US Navy torpedo bombers lost in a 1945 training mission and the rescue plane sent out to find them. What they found was something much more unexpected: a 20-foot fragment of the Space Shuttle Challenger. This rare find, confirmed by NASA, marked the first major Challenger artifact recovered in more than 25 years. From first dive to expert verification, their incredible story weaves together naval aviation mystery, space tragedy, ocean exploration, and forensic history.Hear from Barnette and Gadomski, explorers featured in the History Channel’s series The Bermuda Triangle: Into Cursed Waters, as they recount their expedition and what these findings mean for the legacy of Flight 19, space history, and the mysteries of the deep sea. The event is produced by Kevin Michael Reed, hosted and co-produced by Elysia Segal of Intrepid Museum.
