By: Victor Zhang
The Titan is a submersible, an underwater craft that needs to be transported and supported by a surface craft or platforms. Owned by OceanGate, a company that takes paying tourists in submersibles to underwater canyons and shipwrecks, including the Titanic. The Titan went missing on June 18th with 5 people onboard: Stockton Rush, the CEO and pilot of the submersible, Hamish Harding, a British businessman, Paul-Henri Nargeolet, a French maritime expert, and British-Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his son, Suleman.
The Titan submersible was deployed on June 18th by OceanGate using the vessel, the Polar Prince. The Titan, however, lost contact with the Polar Prince an hour and 45 minutes into its dive, starting a multi-day search and rescue operation. The entire operation was a race against time, as the submersible had at most a 5-day supply of oxygen.
The U.S. Coast Guard coordinated with Canadian authorities in a search for the Titan. They released countless assets to try and locate the missing vessel. There were around 9 vessels around the search area, multiple remotely operated vehicles (R.O.V.s), countless sonar buoys, and around 4 aircraft, which include two American C-130 Hercules, a Canadian P3 Aurora, and a Canadian P8 Poseidon.
Sadly, on Thursday, the search ended after a debris field that is believed to be of the submersible was found. The debris field found was consistent with the implosion of the submersible. Later the Navy also said that its underwater sensors had registered readings “consistent with an explosion or implosion” shortly after the loss of contact.
There have been repeated warnings to the company about unsafe practices. According to the New York Times, “Concerns about the company’s practices were not new. In 2018, three dozen people — industry leaders, deep-sea explorers and oceanographers — sent a letter to Mr. Rush, warning that the company’s “experimental” approach could lead to potentially “catastrophic” problems.” This shows that there have been warnings to the company of potential dangers. James Cameron, the film director of the movie Titanic who has gone down to the titanic wreck over 30 times said, “I’m struck by the similarity of the Titanic disaster itself.”
The tragic loss of the Titan submersible and those aboard marks a devastating chapter in the world of underwater exploration. As the search and rescue operation came to a heartbreaking conclusion, questions arise about the safety practices employed by OceanGate. Warnings from industry experts and deep-sea explorers about potential dangers were not heeded, further emphasizing the gravity of the situation. This event serves as a call to reevaluate and prioritize safety protocols to ensure the well-being of those embarking on such ventures in the future. The missing Titan and its crew will forever remain a reminder of the perils that accompany the pursuit of knowledge and exploration in the vast underwater realm.