Newly Released Footage Captures Moment of Titan Sub’s Fatal Implosion
A recently released video from the Marine Board of Investigation—part of the U.S. Coast Guard's top-level inquiry—has unveiled what is believed to be the sound of the Titan submersible’s implosion in June 2023.
The footage, recorded by cameras aboard the Titan’s support vessel, shows Wendy Rush reacting to a faint cracking noise that resembled a car door slamming shut. Rush is the wife of Stockton Rush, founder of OceanGate and one of the five individuals who perished during the ill-fated dive. “What was that bang?” she is seen asking those nearby.
At the time of the sound, the submersible had descended to approximately 3,300 meters and was around 90 minutes into its journey to the Titanic wreck site.
Experts believe the noise marks the moment the Titan collapsed under pressure. However, shortly after, the crew received a message from the submersible indicating it had released two ballast weights—giving the false impression that it was still functioning.
Chris Roman, an oceanography professor at the University of Rhode Island, noted that underwater communication systems often have delays, which could have made the weight-drop message appear after the implosion occurred.
Just six seconds after that message, contact with the sub was lost. An intense international search began, and days later, debris from the sub was found on the Atlantic seabed, near the Titanic's wreckage.
All five people onboard were declared dead. The tragedy has sparked global discussions on the risks of commercial deep-sea exploration and OceanGate’s safety practices.
Upcoming documentaries from the BBC and Netflix are expected to further investigate the events that led to the disaster.
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