Last year, the U.S. Coast Guard released two videos showing mangled components of OceanGate’s Titan submersible, which was lost in a dramatic implosion that resulted in the deaths of its five-person crew. The videos were captured by a remotely operated vehicle and provide important technical evidence for the ongoing hearings into the cause of the incident, taking place in North Charleston, S.C. The videos show the wreckage of the sub, including the aft titanium dome and ring, remnants of the hull, and carbon-fiber debris, providing clues for determining the cause of the implosion.
The U.S. Coast Guard confirmed that no human remains were identifiable in the videos, but DNA testing was used to confirm the identities of the victims. The crew members who perished in the incident were pilot Stockton Rush, Titanic explorer P.H. Nargeolet, aviation executive Hamish Harding, and Pakistani-born business executive Shahzada Dawood and his son, Suleman. The debris recovery effort following the incident led to the careful retrieval of any remains from the deep ocean.
The arrangement and condition of the debris seen in the videos are expected to provide significant insights into the cause of the implosion. One leading theory suggests that the stresses endured during Titan’s deep dives to the Titanic wreck site weakened the sub’s carbon-fiber hull or the glue seals that held the hull to the titanium end caps. Submersible consultant Tym Catterson speculated that the crew likely died instantaneously, as the implosion occurred rapidly without warning, leaving the crew unaware of the impending danger.
The ongoing hearings into the incident feature testimony from individuals involved in the Titan submersible missions, including mission specialist Renata Rojas and marine biologist Steven Ross. The technical testimony presented during the hearings is crucial in understanding the events that led to the loss of the sub and its crew. The videos captured by the ROV three days after the incident provide conclusive evidence of the catastrophic implosion that occurred under the extreme pressure of the deep ocean.
The videos also show the forward titanium dome and its viewport, as well as Titan’s tail cone emblazoned with the OceanGate logo. The footage offers a visual representation of the devastation caused by the implosion and highlights the dangers of deep-sea exploration. The search for answers surrounding the cause of the incident continues, with experts analyzing the wreckage to piece together the sequence of events that led to the tragic loss of the Titan submersible and its crew.
