The Titan submersible sank on June 20, 2023, during a tourist expedition to the Titanic’s wreckage. The submersible was carrying four passengers and a pilot, and all five were killed.
The cause of the sinking is still under investigation, but the U.S. Coast Guard believes that the submersible suffered a catastrophic implosion. This is a sudden and violent collapse of the pressure hull, which can be caused by a number of factors, including structural failure, a breach in the hull, or a sudden change in pressure.
The Titan was designed to withstand the extreme pressure of the deep ocean, but it is possible that there was a flaw in the design or construction of the submersible that led to the implosion. It is also possible that the submersible was damaged during a previous dive, which weakened the hull and made it more susceptible to implosion.
The debris field found at the scene of the sinking suggests that the implosion occurred at a depth of about 3,500 meters (11,500 feet). This is the equivalent of the weight of the Eiffel Tower pressing down on the submersible. The force of the implosion would have been instantly fatal to the passengers and pilot inside.
The sinking of the Titan is a reminder of the dangers of deep-sea exploration. The ocean is a harsh and unforgiving environment, and even the most advanced submersibles are not immune to failure.
Who was on the submersible ?
The five people who were on the Titan submersible when it sank were:
- Stockton Rush, the CEO of Ocean Gate Expeditions, the company that operated the submersible.
- Paul-Henri Nargeolet, a French deep-sea explorer and Titanic expert.
- Hamish Harding, a British billionaire businessman.
- Shahzada Dawood, a Pakistani-British billionaire businessman.
- Suleman Dawood, Shahzada Dawood’s son.
