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The wreckage of the Titan submersible, which had been missing since last Sunday, was located on Thursday by an autonomous underwater vehicle deployed from a Canadian vessel as part of an international rescue operation.
On Friday, the loss of five individuals in a tragic incident during a deep dive to explore the Titanic wreck in the North Atlantic was mourned by their relatives and colleagues. This unfortunate event has raised concerns regarding safety regulations governing such ventures into the depths of the ocean.
According to U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral John Mauger, the remains of the submersible were found on the seabed approximately 1,600 feet (488 meters) away from the bow of the Titanic wreck, resting about 2-1/2 miles (4 km) beneath the ocean’s surface.
The rescue operation was launched after the submersible lost contact with a surface ship approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes into its planned 2-hour descent. Admiral Mauger stated that the debris found was indicative of “a catastrophic implosion of the vehicle.”
Among the five individuals who tragically lost their lives were Stockton Rush, the U.S. founder and CEO of OceanGate Expeditions, the company operating the submersible and offering Titanic exploration trips at a cost of $250,000 per person. Rush was piloting the craft at the time of the incident.
The other victims included Hamish Harding, a British billionaire and explorer aged 58; Shahzada Dawood, a 48-year-old businessman of Pakistani origin, and his 19-year-old son Suleman, both British citizens; and Paul-Henri Nargeolet, a 77-year-old French oceanographer.
Issues concerning the safety of the Titan had previously been raised during a symposium of experts in submersible technology in 2018, as well as in a lawsuit filed by OceanGate’s former head of marine operations, which was resolved later that same year.
An international collaborative effort involving teams from the United States, Canada, France, and Britain had dedicated several days to scanning a vast area of open sea in search of the Titan.
According to U.S. Coast Guard’s Mauger, it was too early to determine the exact timing of the incident that led to the submersible’s demise. The proximity of the debris to the wreck of the Titanic suggested that it occurred near the end of the descent on Sunday.
The U.S. Navy, responsible for monitoring submarine activity in that region of the Atlantic, reported that an analysis of acoustic data revealed “an anomaly consistent with an implosion or explosion” in the vicinity of the Titan when communication was lost.
Navy officials, speaking anonymously, confirmed that the acoustic data was promptly shared with the unified command led by the U.S. Coast Guard. Despite the findings, it was deemed inconclusive, and the search and rescue mission continued.
One Navy official mentioned that the cost to the Navy for the rescue operation was expected to be minimal.
Michael Guillen, a scientist and journalist who personally experienced being trapped in the Titanic’s propeller during an expedition in 2000, emphasized the importance of reflecting on the motivations behind and the safety measures involved in exploring the Titanic. He stated, “We need to take a moment to pause and question why one desires to visit the Titanic and how to ensure a safe journey.”
The Titanic tragically sank on its maiden voyage after colliding with an iceberg, resulting in the loss of over 1,500 lives. The wreckage now rests approximately 900 miles (1,450 km) east of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and 400 miles (640 km) south of St. John’s, Newfoundland.
Written by Alius Noreika
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