A MYSTERY island has seemingly vanished without a trace – sparking theories ranging from rising sea levels to government cover ups.
Bermeja Island, once marked on maps as a small landmass in the Gulf of Mexico, has baffled researchers and historians for decades.
It appeared on nautical charts for centuries – but it’s now nowhere found.
So, did it sink, was it never there to begin with, or was it deliberately erased?
Bermeja first appeared in Spanish maps as early as the 16th century.
The name itself – derived from “bermejo”, meaning “reddish” in Spanish – suggested it had distinct features.
It was plotted in the Yucatán Channel, about 100 miles off the coast of the Yucatán Peninsula.
For centuries, explorers and mapmakers included it in official records.
But by the late 20th century, Bermeja started to fade from maps.
Jesús Israel Baxin Martínez, a geographer from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), told The Sun that even in the 19th century, Bermeja appeared in official Mexican atlases.
He said: “Between the 16th and early 19th centuries, Bermeja Island was recorded on maps from various sources.
“In the 1858 Mexican Atlas, Bermeja Island clearly appears north of Cayo Arenas… but a year later, in the 1886 General Map of the United Mexican States, the island no longer appears.
“It is likely that the cartographer made some revision… but these [islands] had not been corroborated.”
When the Mexican government sent a research team in 1977 to find it, they returned empty-handed.
In 2009, another expedition using modern satellite and sonar technology confirmed the same – Bermeja was simply gone.
There are several theories about Bermeja’s disappearance – some scientific, others bordering on conspiracy.
Some researchers suggest Bermeja Island may have never existed, attributing its appearance on maps to cartographic errors.
“It’s quite possible,” Martínez said.
“Cartographers between the 16th and 19th centuries frequently copied geographical features from different maps without field verification.”
Bermeja may have simply been the product of repeated cartographic copying, possibly confused with other Gulf islands like “El Negrillo” or “Zarca” that also vanished from maps over time, the expert added.
A 2009 study by UNAM found no evidence of the island’s existence, leading to the conclusion that it was likely a perpetuated mapping mistake, NBC reported.
Another theory is that if Bermeja did exist, it might have been a low-lying atoll or sandbank that was eroded by ocean currents over centuries.
But Martínez calls that unlikely, saying: “These causes are implausible; it seems impossible that sudden events could have gone unrecorded and left no trace over the past five centuries.”
Even though some historical sailing records suggest Bermeja had groves – indicating it was more than just a sandbank – no detailed cartography of the island was ever made.
“It only appears on maps of national scale or those of the Yucatán region,” Martínez added.
“If major erosion or a rise in sea level submerged any of the islands, traces would remain.”
A more controversial theory claims Bermeja was destroyed — or even erased from records — due to its strategic location.
The island would have extended Mexico’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), giving the country rights to valuable oil reserves in the Gulf.
Some believe it was secretly bombed, sunk, or removed from maps to shift maritime boundaries – possibly benefiting the US.
But Martínez was quick to argue against that theory.
He previously told Mexico News Daily: “It’s a conspiracy theory, of course.
“Isla Bermeja was a controversy because it was a key area of the Exclusive Economic Zone in the Gulf of Mexico.
“There were official searches around this time to see if there was some remnant of this island because the expansion of this zone for Mexico would mean an abundance of oil.”
Despite extensive searches, no trace of Bermeja has ever been found, and its mystery remains unsolved.
Martínez concluded: “In short, the most plausible theory… is that it is a cartographic error replicated and unverified over more than 400 years.”
But he also warns that Mexico’s focus on lost islands like Bermeja overshadows a bigger issue: the neglect of the country’s real, inhabited islands.
“Mexico has neglected its island territory and has focused efforts on investigating lost or apparently fictitious cases… rather than defending the real islands over which the country has sovereignty.”
Whether it was a mistake, a victim of climate change, or something more sinister, one thing is certain — the island has left a ghostly imprint on history.
DUNNES Stores fans are set to love a new polka dot dress with “flutter sleeves” that is ideal for summer holidays.
The Short Sleeve Print Midi Dress is available in stores and online now.
It is priced at just €25 and comes in sizes 8 to 22.
The retailer said: “This polka dot dress channels femininity with its flutter sleeves and soft, flowing silhouette.
“The gathered bust features a delicate tie detail that adds shape, while the lightweight fabric drapes beautifully.”
The dress is lightweight and a handy option for a short trip away.
It can be worn with sandals, shoes or trainers depending on the occasion.
Meanwhile, fashion fans are in a frenzy over new striped trousers that have landed in Dunnes – and they come in three colours.
Monica, who goes by @mon.fesa on Instagram, showed off her new striped trousers, which are now available online and in stores across the country.
Monica said: “You will love these trousers from Dunnes Stores.
“The material is amazing and they can be worn as sporty as you like with sneakers or as stylish as possible with heels, like me in the reel.
“They are at the Gallery section, and the t-shirt too.”
The new stripe trousers comes with an elastic waistband, a clasp closure and a double white stripe down the side.
Fashion fans can choose from cool stone, classic navy, or eye-catching red.
Dunnes Stores designers said the pants are comfortable for everyday wear or for creating a “relaxed office-ready” look.
They added: “They feature sporty side stripes and an elastic waist for added comfort.”
The trousers are priced at just €30 and are available in sizes 8 to 18.
Style the stripe pants with heels for a glam look or trainers for a casual daytime look.
Monica styled the trousers with the Gallery Cotton Rich Crew Neck T-Shirt.
It is priced at just €20 and comes in sizes XS to XL.
DUNNES Stores opened its first store on Patrick Street in Cork in 1944 - and it was an instant hit.
Shoppers from all over the city rushed to the store to snap up quality clothing at pre-war prices in Ireland’s first ‘shopping frenzy’.
During the excitement, a window was forced in and the police had to be called to help control the crowds hoping to bag founder Ben Dunne’s ‘Better Value’ bargains.
Dunnes later opened more stores in the 1950s and began to sell groceries in 1960 – starting with apples and oranges.
The retailer said: “Fruit was expensive at the time and Ben Dunne yet again offered Better Value than anyone else in town.
“Over time, our food selection has grown and that spirit of good value has remained strong.
“Now we offer a wide range of carefully-sourced foods from both local Irish suppliers and overseas.”
The retailer’s first Dublin store opened its doors in 1957 on Henry Street and a super store on South Great Georges Street was unveiled in 1960.
They added: “In 1971, our first Northern Irish store opened, and many others soon followed.
“Expansion continued in the 1980s in Spain, and later into Scotland and England.”
Dunnes now has 142 stores and employs 15,000 people.
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A MOTHER has revealed that she lost over eight stone after using fat jabs for two years.
Bridget claimed that everyone said she would regret using the weight loss injections, but now, her only guilt is not starting sooner.
The mother, who is from the US, took to social media to show off her jaw-dropping weight loss, but experts and NHS medics warn about the dangers of taking such medications without a prescription.
Posting online, Bridget explained that she started her weight loss journey back in 2022.
Standing at five-foot-three-inches, her starting weight was 17 stone 8 lbs.
But now, after taking Tirzepatide, which is sold under the name Mounjaro, Semaglutide and Ozempic, she is now down to just 9 stone 5 lbs.
There’s no surprise that Bridget is thrilled after having dropped 8 stone 3 lbs, but her shocking slim down has resulted in her being on the receiving end of a barrage of nasty abuse.
Not only have people called her ‘too thin’, but others claimed she now ‘looks older’ as a result of losing weight.
Mounjaro, regarded by some as the King Kong of weight loss jabs, could soon be rolled out on the NHS.
Sun GP Dr Zoe Williams claimed it can save the lives of people with “life-threatening levels of obesity”.
But despite this, the NHS website warns: “Never take an anti-obesity medicine if it has not been prescribed to you. These types of medicines may not be safe for you and can cause serious side effects.”
About half a million Brits use weight loss drugs – and the number is expected to double in the next year.
Mounjaro works by suppressing your appetite, making people feel fuller for longer.
The injections are licensed for patients with type 2 diabetes and to assist those who are clinically obese (with a Body Mass Index of 30 or over).
One jab is administered each week but the duration is dependent on someone’s weight.
The drugs can be lawfully supplied when prescribed by a practitioner – such as a doctor, nurse or a pharmacist-independent prescriber.
But increasingly, people have been buying them through online pharmacies with insufficient checks.
Only recently, figures from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency revealed fat jabs had been linked to 82 deaths across the UK.
And the family of a man from Burton upon Trent, Staffs, who died after taking Mounjaro, are now calling for a probe into the jab’s “potential to kill”.
Despite the dangers, this content creator eagerly praised the effects of the fat jabs on her body, leaving many totally stunned.
In the short clip, Bridget gave her 90,700 followers a close-up look at her glow up, as she shared a before and after look at her transformation.
At the start of the video, we saw Bridget wearing a black top and jeans, with her belly on show.
Bridget stood to the side to show off her body, prior to taking any weight loss medication.
Two years later, still no regrets. Only regret is not taking it sooner
Bridget
Seconds later, Bridget confidently posed in a skin-tight black lace dress and mimed along to the Chris Brown and Lil Wayne song ‘Look At Me Now’.
Alongside the clip, Bridget wrote: “Them: You’re going to regret taking Ozempic.”
The slimmed down woman then said: “Two years later, still no regrets.
“Only regret is not taking it sooner.”
Weight loss jabs are all the rage as studies and patient stories reveal they help people shed flab at almost unbelievable rates, as well as appearing to reduce the risk of serious diseases.
Wegovy – a modified version of type 2 diabetes drug Ozempic – and Mounjaro are the leading weight loss injections used in the UK.
Wegovy, real name semaglutide, has been used on the NHS for years while Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is a newer and more powerful addition to the market.
Mounjaro accounts for most private prescriptions for weight loss and is set to join Wegovy as an NHS staple this year.
How do they work?
The jabs work by suppressing your appetite, making you eat less so your body burns fat for energy instead and you lose weight.
They do this my mimicking a hormone called GLP-1, which signals to the brain when the stomach is full, so the drugs are officially called GLP-1 receptor agonists.
They slow down digestion and increase insulin production, lowering blood sugar, which is why they were first developed to treat type 2 diabetes in which patients’ sugar levels are too high.
Can I get them?
NHS prescriptions of weight loss drugs, mainly Wegovy and an older version called Saxenda (chemical name liraglutide), are controlled through specialist weight loss clinics.
Typically a patient will have to have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher, classifying them as medically obese, and also have a weight-related health condition such as high blood pressure.
GPs generally do not prescribe the drugs for weight loss.
Private prescribers offer the jabs, most commonly Mounjaro, to anyone who is obese (BMI of 30+) or overweight (BMI 25-30) with a weight-related health risk.
Private pharmacies have been rapped for handing them out too easily and video calls or face-to-face appointments are now mandatory to check a patient is being truthful about their size and health.
Are there any risks?
Yes – side effects are common but most are relatively mild.
Around half of people taking the drug experience gut issues, including sickness, bloating, acid reflux, constipation and diarrhoea.
Dr Sarah Jarvis, GP and clinical consultant at patient.info, said: “One of the more uncommon side effects is severe acute pancreatitis, which is extremely painful and happens to one in 500 people.”
Other uncommon side effects include altered taste, kidney problems, allergic reactions, gallbladder problems and hypoglycemia.
Evidence has so far been inconclusive about whether the injections are damaging to patients’ mental health.
Figures obtained by The Sun show that, up to January 2025, 85 patient deaths in the UK were suspected to be linked to the medicines.
The content creator explained that she was on fat jabs for two years and it took her a year and three months of use before she saw results.
She revealed that she now feels as though she has “regained” her life back, but stressed that as well as using the fat jabs, she also focused on exercise and dieting too.
The mum confessed: “I was able to minimise my loose skin through strength training, a high-protein diet, slow and steady weight loss, taking collagen daily, and staying hydrated.”
Not only did she not suffer any side effects and have “zero problems” whilst using the injections, but she claimed that doing so was the “best decision” she has ever made.
She also shared an unbothered attitude towards haters, as she wrote: “I don’t care, I love it”.
The TikTok clip, which was posted under the username @simplybridget12, has clearly left many open-mouthed, as it has quickly amassed 175,200 views, 5,984 likes and 273 comments.
But social media users were massively divided by Bridget’s weight loss – and many eagerly flocked to the comments to share their honest thoughts.
One person said: “You look amazing!!”
So you need meds to lose weight? I feel sorry for you, you don’t have the discipline to do it yourself
TikTok user
Another added: “You are gorgeous.”
A third commented: “You look fabulous!!”
However, at the same time, someone else snapped: “This is sad.. leave those to the people who are diabetic. Just go to the gym like everyone else to lose weight.”
FROM faddy diets to dodgy detoxes - most of us have heard it all before when it comes to weight loss.
But burning fat can be easy and mostly free.
In fact, the NHS has a whole load of medically-approved tips for weight loss and shedding body fat once and for all…
A second chimed in: “You look older.”
Someone else wrote: “Too thin.”
Whilst another questioned: “So you need meds to lose weight? I feel sorry for you, you don’t have the discipline to do it yourself.”
But clapping back at the comment, Bridget simply replied: “No need to feel sorry for me, Andrea – no shame in my game.
“I would do this all over again.”
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