Debris Found Near the Remains of the Titanic
During the morning, the US Coast Guard stated on Twitter that debris had been found in the search areas for the Titan submarine, which disappeared while on an expedition to the remains of the Titanic. The company OceanGate confirmed on Thursday (22) that the five crew members of the submarine, which was on a tourist expedition to view the wreckage of the Titanic, have died. The submersible went missing on Sunday (18), and the debris was found on Thursday. According to the United States Coast Guard, the vehicle imploded.
Titan Submarine Implosion Reveals Lost Cabin
The implosion was confirmed because the found debris indicates that the cabin protecting the people from the pressure of the sea was lost. It is still unknown at what point and for what reason the vessel imploded. A cone that was in front of the submarine, as well as a piece from the front and another from the back of the pressure chamber, were found. These pieces were located approximately 500 meters from the wreckage of the Titanic and at a depth of about 4,000 meters.
Harsh and Silent: Challenges of Searching for Bodies
It is still uncertain whether there will be a search for the bodies as the location is extremely inhospitable, according to authorities. The noises captured by the search teams in recent days apparently had no relation to the submersible. The implosion must have generated a loud sound, according to the Coast Guard, but this noise was not detected by the ships and sonars involved in the rescue operation. This suggests that the implosion occurred before the start of the operation.
OceanGate Announces Death of Five Crew Members
Shortly before the Coast Guard press conference, OceanGate, the company of the submarine, stated in a release that all passengers had died. The victims are: OceanGate’s CEO, Stockton Rush, the submarine pilot; Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood; Suleman Dawood, Shahzada’s son; British billionaire and explorer Hamish Harding; and former French Navy commander Paul-Henry Nargeolet, the leading expert on the Titanic sinking.
Debris Found by Sonar Near Titanic
The discovery of debris in the search areas for the Titan submarine was made by a sonar close to where the remnants of the Titanic are located. “An area with debris was discovered within the search area by an unmanned vehicle near the Titanic. Experts from the unified command are evaluating the information,” said the Northeast branch of the US Coast Guard, which coordinates the search operations. The Titanic wreckage lies 3,800 meters below the sea’s surface in a point of the Atlantic Ocean about 600 kilometers off the coast of Canada.
Tragic Ending Due to Lack of Oxygen
Based on search teams’ estimates, if the submarine were still intact on Thursday morning, the oxygen inside the vessel would have run out around 6 a.m. (Brasília time).
Questions and Answers About the Submarine’s Disappearance:
What was the purpose of the expedition? To see the wreckage of the Titanic, which sank in 1912 in the Atlantic Ocean.
Where are the Titanic’s remains? They lie approximately 3,800 meters deep, 650 km off the coast of Canada.
Who organizes the tour and how much does it cost? The expedition is organized by the maritime tourism company OceanGate Expeditions, which charges $250,000 (R$1.19 million) per passenger.
When did the submarine disappear? The expedition began on Friday (16), departing from Newfoundland, Canada. The actual descent started on Sunday (18). The initial expectation was for it to take about two hours to reach the Titanic wreckage, but communication with the module was lost after 1 hour and 45 minutes of travel.
What was the submarine like? Named Titan, it: measured 6.5 meters in length and 3 meters in width; weighed over 10 tons and was made of carbon fiber and titanium; was operated by a joystick that closely resembles a video game controller; moved at a speed of 3 knots (5.5 km/h) and was propelled by four thrusters; could carry up to five people; and was not autonomous like a large-scale submarine, which is why it had to be transported on the ocean’s surface for 643 km to the descent area.