US Navy detected Titanic sub implosion days before rescue mission, but chose to continue search efforts
Missing Titan Submarine: According to the Coast Guard, the five crew members of the Titan submersible died due to a "catastrophic implosion" of their vessel. Debris found underwater, located 1,600 feet (488 meters) from the bow of the Titanic, was examined by a remotely operated vehicle.
While multiple ships were searching the North Atlantic for the missing submersible en route to the Titanic wreck site, the US Navy had already identified an implosion at the location where the vessel lost communication. Although the information was not conclusive, it was immediately shared with the US Coast Guard, who decided to proceed with the mission as a search and rescue operation, making every effort to save the lives on board.
Rear Admiral John Mauger expressed condolences on behalf of the US Coast Guard and the unified command, stating that the families were notified. The nose cone of the ship was discovered along with other debris, including portions of the ship's pressure hull.
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The unified command does not have a timeframe for concluding the search operations on the sea floor. They will continue gathering information to determine the cause of the implosion.
The story of the missing Titan submersible captured global attention as an international fleet of ships and aircraft tirelessly combed an area twice the size of Connecticut in the North Atlantic. The race against time was fueled by concerns over the Titan's limited oxygen supply, estimated to last 96 hours after losing contact with the Canadian research vessel Polar Prince on June 18.
During the search, unidentified sounds were detected, but they were not connected to the missing craft, as confirmed by the US Coast Guard. However, the Wall Street Journal reported that a US Navy acoustic detection system detected the sound of a blast near the debris site shortly after the submersible's deployment, according to a statement from a US defense official.
The crew on board the Titan included individuals such as Hamish Harding, a UK national and founder of investment firm Action Group; Paul-Henry Nargeolet, a French maritime expert; Stockton Rush, CEO of OceanGate Inc.; and Shahzada Dawood and Suleman Dawood, a father and son from a prominent Pakistani family.
OceanGate, in a statement, expressed their sorrow for the loss of life and described the crew as true explorers with a passion for ocean exploration and conservation.
The Titan, a 6.7-meter-long submersible made of carbon fiber and titanium, was designed to carry a pilot and four crew members to a maximum depth of 4,000 meters (13,120 feet). Despite having an onboard system to track crew health and provide early warning detection, no messages were received after the Polar Prince lost communication with the Titan during its descent towards the Titanic.
OceanGate offers expeditions to the Titanic site, allowing qualified explorers to join as mission specialists. The fees for these expeditions support the training and participation of the science team studying the shipwreck.
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- With inputs from agencies
