Fatal Dive: New Evidence Revealed in Titan Submersible Disaster
A recent investigation by the BBC has uncovered shocking new evidence in the catastrophic failure of the Titan submersible, which resulted in the deaths of all five people on board. According to a report by the BBC, a video obtained by the US Coast Guard (USCG) shows Wendy Rush, wife of Oceangate founder Stockton Rush, reacting to the sound of the submersible’s implosion while watching from the support ship.
The video, which has been presented as evidence to the USCG Marine Board of Investigation, reveals that Mrs Rush heard a loud bang, similar to a door slamming, while monitoring the dive on a computer used to send and receive text messages from the submersible. "What was that bang?" she is seen asking other Oceangate crew members. The incident occurred on June 18, 2023, during a dive to explore the wreckage of the Titanic in the Atlantic Ocean.
The BBC reports that the submersible’s support ship was with the sub while it was diving to a depth of approximately 3,300m. The video footage shows Mrs Rush, who was also a director of Oceangate, sitting in front of a computer used to communicate with the submersible. When the noise was heard, she paused, looked up, and asked others on board what it was. Moments later, she received a text message from the submersible stating it had dropped two weights, leading her to mistakenly believe the dive was proceeding as planned.
However, the USCG has confirmed that the noise heard by Mrs Rush was, in fact, the sound of the Titan submersible imploding. The investigation has also revealed that the text message sent by the submersible just before it failed took longer to reach the support ship than the sound of the implosion. This has raised questions about the communication systems in place and the potential for delays in responding to emergencies.
The investigation has also uncovered concerns about the structural integrity of the submersible. According to the BBC, the carbon fibre used to build the Titan submersible started to break apart a year before the fatal dive. This has raised questions about the safety procedures and maintenance checks in place to ensure the submersible was airworthy.
The USCG Marine Board of Investigation has spent the last two years looking into the submersible’s catastrophic failure. The new evidence revealed in the BBC report is expected to be a crucial part of the investigation. All five people on board the Titan submersible died instantly in the disaster. The incident has raised questions about safety procedures and regulations in the deep-sea tourism industry.
The BBC has spoken to experts and industry insiders, who have raised concerns about the safety of deep-sea tourism and the regulations in place to oversee the industry. As the investigation continues, it is clear that the Titan submersible disaster will have far-reaching implications for the industry and for those who venture into the depths of the ocean. The USCG and other regulatory bodies will be under scrutiny to ensure that such a tragedy never happens again.
The incident occurred during a dive to explore the wreckage of the Titanic, a journey that was supposed to be a historic and educational experience. Instead, it ended in tragedy. As the investigation continues, the BBC will provide updates and analysis on the findings.
This article is based on reporting by the BBC. The original article can be found at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5yg5qggvwjo.
