Footage recently shared with the BBC captures the moment the Titan submersible imploded during its ill-fated descent to the Titanic wreck, killing all five people aboard. Recorded from the support ship, this footage includes the sound of what was initially mistaken for a door slamming, followed by crew members aboard requesting clarification. Tragically, this noise was the signal of the Titan's catastrophic failure.
The Titan, operated by OceanGate, imploded roughly 90 minutes into its dive on June 18, 2023. Those on board included Stockton Rush, the company's CEO, along with notable figures such as British explorer Hamish Harding, veteran diver Paul-Henri Nargeolet, businessman Shahzada Dawood, and his son Suleman.
The BBC has gained exclusive access to the ongoing investigation by the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) through a documentary titled "Implosion: The Titanic Sub Disaster." The recently obtained footage reveals Wendy Rush, the CEO's wife, reacting to the sound of the implosion by questioning, "What was that bang?" As the situation unfolded, she mistakenly interpreted a subsequent text message from Titan indicating weight drops as a sign that the dive was progressing normally.
While the sound of the sub's implosion reached the support ship almost instantaneously, the text message took time to process, creating a deceptive sense of reassurance just moments before the tragedy unfolded. Immediate data indicated that all five passengers suffered an instantaneous death upon the Titan's failure.
Concerns regarding the submersible's design had previously been expressed by deep-sea experts and former OceanGate employees, with one describing Titan's construction as an "abomination." The vessel had never been subjected to independent safety assessments, raising alarms about its carbon fiber composite hull, which is notoriously unreliable under immense pressure.
Following a dive one year prior to the disaster, it was noted that signs of delamination began to occur, predicting a perilous outcome for forthcoming dives. The echoes of this critical failure resonate through the ongoing investigations and testimonies from those who experienced the Titan's journey.
Many experts, including entrepreneur Oisin Fanning, have since voiced regret about their participation in previous dives with Titan. They highlight that had they known the real risks involved, particularly regarding the design flaws, they would have never considered boarding the submersible.
The USCG has indicated that an official report will be released later this year to establish comprehensively what went wrong and how similar tragedies can be prevented in the future. Family members of the victims expressed sentiment towards their loss, with Christine Dawood, who lost her husband and son in the disaster, revealing the profound changes that such trauma inflicts.
OceanGate has publicly expressed its condolences, stating they are fully cooperating with ongoing investigations while seeking to not comment further until reports are finalized. As discussions continue regarding safety standards in deep-sea exploration, the legacy of the Titan disaster is likely to evoke scrutiny and change in the industry for years to come.
Viewers can catch "Implosion: The Titanic Sub Disaster" premiering on BBC Two, with additional availability on BBC iPlayer.
