Tragic Titanic Submersible Voyage: What Really Happened to the Five Lost Explorers?

In June 2023, there was no unexpected or wondrous resolution to the tale about the submarine carrying five individuals that went missing.

Four days following the disappearance of OceanGate Expedition’s 22-foot submarine en route to explore the remains of the RMS Titanic, the United States Coast Guard disclosed that the submersible had experienced a fatal collapse.

U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral John W. Mauger announced on June 22, 2023, that as soon as investigators and specialists determined the vessel was missing, the families of the five passengers were promptly informed.

Mauger remarked, ‘I can hardly conceive of their experience.’ I wish this finding brings a measure of comfort amidst their hardships.

Currently, the probe continues as we try to determine the precise cause of the incident. On February 7, the U.S. Coast Guard made public a brief 20-second recording, which they suspect captures the instant of collapse.

During a public hearing in South Carolina last September, Bart Kemper from Kemper Engineering Services stated that while several possibilities such as a carbon fiber hull breakage, a manufacturing flaw related to the hull, or an issue with the acrylic window could have contributed to the disaster, he couldn’t definitively confirm any of these scenarios.

“The root cause for the implosion is indeterminate at this time,” he said, per NBC News.

Reflecting on the plight of those onboard is enough to make one gasp for breath. The search for the missing submarine Titan evolved into a live nightmare, the most harrowing aspect not being the ‘limited supplies’ of food and water reported by officials, but rather the 96-hour oxygen supply they began their journey with.

Upon hearing the news about the lost submarine, a torrent of both heartbreaking and peculiar facts emerged, accompanied by reports expressing ongoing worries regarding the safety of OceanGate’s overall endeavor, even echoed by past Titan travelers like myself.

Previously serving as the marine operations director for OceanGate, David Lochridge stated in September that Stockton Rush, the company’s chief executive officer and founder who was at the helm during the fatal June 18 expedition, seemed to prioritize profits and cost-reduction over ensuring the vessel’s safety.

According to Lochridge, who was employed by OceanGate starting from early 2016 but let go approximately two years later, as reported by NBC News, the fundamental purpose of the company seemed to be generating profits. There wasn’t much emphasis on scientific exploration.

The director of the movie Titanic, James Cameron, had dived 33 times to the 111-year-old wreckage that served as inspiration for his 1997 hit film. After it was confirmed that the ship had sunk, he expressed his thoughts to ABC News, saying, “This deep-sea exploration is a refined art, and there were many in our community who were worried about this submarine.

As an ardent admirer, I must say that while there was no immediate response from the company regarding the recent wave of criticism, OceanGate honored the five men who tragically perished as intrepid explorers. These brave souls embodied a unique zest for adventure and possessed a profound love for delving into the mysteries of our oceans and safeguarding their beauty.

Although the complete account of the circumstances leading up to these incidents remains to be revealed, here’s a brief summary of what transpired during the initial distressing period:

Though we still don’t know the entire backstory, let me share with you the sequence of events that occurred in those early challenging days:

What is OceanGate Expeditions?

Speaking more casually, OceanGate Expeditions was a firm that halted its exploration and activities following this particular event.

As a devoted admirer, I’ve always been drawn to uncovering remnants of the past, particularly the Titanic, a ship that tragically ended the lives of my great-great-grandparents, Wendy Rush’s ancestors, Ida and Isidor Straus, in 1912. I believe there is a demand to provide similar opportunities for others who share this fascination, before this historic artifact fades into oblivion.

In 2019, he explained to Deutsche Welle that it was completely logical, and building a submersible was necessary for us to reach our destination.

In 2003, a Seattle-based aerospace engineer (who used to dream of becoming an astronaut) began designing a submarine and founded OceanGate in 2009 with the aim of making multiple dives each year. According to her LinkedIn profile, Wendy serves as the company’s communications director and is also part of the expedition team.

What was it like onboard the submersible Titan?

In December 2018, Rush emphasized that Titan, as the first privately-owned submarine with a human on board, plunged to an average ocean depth and beyond, reaching 13,000 feet – slightly deeper than the Titanic’s wreck site.

He shared with Deutsche Welle that they discovered a minimum capacity of four individuals was essential, as no one else had this feature. The rationale behind this is twofold: firstly, having both a pilot and an expert on board transforms the dive experience significantly due to their passion and expertise in the subject matter. Secondly, if someone is going to explore the Titanic, it will be an incredibly impactful event for them, something they wouldn’t want to do alone.

According to Rush, Titan was notably lighter than other submersibles; typically, vessels constructed from titanium or steel weigh around 25 tons and are massive. In contrast, the submersible we built using carbon fiber tips the scales at just over 10 tons. With a crew of five – three laypeople, a pilot, and a researcher – it remains relatively compact, allowing for increased speed.

Additionally, let me add that Titan, unlike its smaller counterparts, features a full-sized bathroom. During dives lasting 10 to 12 hours, as Rush pointed out, the crew on smaller subs are provided with a cup and a waist wrap for relief needs. “People would often fast the day before,” he said, “due to the fear of not having facilities.” However, our Titan submarine, being made of carbon fiber and boasting ample space, offers a bathroom that is even larger than most private jets’. You can draw a privacy curtain for added comfort.

To clarify, even though I’m a dedicated follower, the makeshift “toilet” was essentially a large plastic bottle and a few Ziploc bags. It’s quite surprising how spacious the overall passenger compartment feels, reminiscent of a compact minivan.

Prior to OceanGate’s initial planned dive to the Titanic with paying passengers in June 2019, as reported by Smithsonian, tickets were set at $105,129 – an amount equivalent to first-class passage on the Titanic when adjusted for inflation. However, these prices have since increased and now stand at $125,000 per individual.

They didn’t embark on their first deep-sea expedition until July 2021; OceanGate later announced on Twitter that they had broken a record by reaching the Titanic’s depth of 12,296 feet using a carbon fiber submersible for five people. This journey took just 2.5 hours and landed them directly in an area of the debris field that is least explored or documented.

Mike Reiss, a producer of The Simpsons, embarked on a journey in the year 2022. He reminisced about the time he had to sign a substantial agreement that outlined numerous ways you could meet your end during the trip. In an interview with the BBC in June, he shared, “They discuss death three times on the first page. So, it’s always lurking at the back of your thoughts.”

The waiver also noted that Titan is not approved or certified “by any regulatory body.”

Who were the passengers aboard the OceanGate submersible Titan on June 18?

61-year-old father of two, Rush, was accompanied by Shahzada Dawood, a 48-year-old Pakistani businessman, his 19-year-old son Suleman Dawood, the British billionaire Hamish Harding who is 58 years old, and Paul-Henri Nargeolet, a former French navy diver and a member of The Explorers Club, also in his late 50s.

For a sum of $250,000 each, the company’s designated “space mission experts” were offered an eight-day adventure that encompassed multiple underwater diving excursions.

As a passionate admirer, let me tell you, I’ve been the one leading RMS Titanic Inc., the U.S. firm that holds the salvage rights to the wreck’s remains. The New York Times reports that I’ve made over 35 journeys down to this historic site, with one incredible dive even taking me onto the Titan itself.

Cameron shared with ABC that it’s nearly unbearable for him to comprehend the fact that his friend passed away so unexpectedly.

As a die-hard enthusiast, let me tell you about myself – Hamish, husband to the incredible Linda Harding and proud father of two. I held the prestigious position of chairman at the Dubai-based private jet brokerage, Action Aviation, residing in the United Arab Emirates. My insatiable thirst for adventure led me on numerous expeditions, including multiple visits to the frozen expanse of the South Pole, diving into the Earth’s deepest ocean trench (the Mariana Trench), and even venturing beyond our planet’s atmosphere on Blue Origin’s fifth human-crewed flight in 2022.

Prince Dawood, belonging to one of Pakistan’s wealthiest families, resided in London with his wife Christine and their daughter Alina. It seems that he himself had a strong desire to witness the Titanic, while his son reluctantly accompanied him for a special Father’s Day outing.

According to reports from the BBC, Suleman is known within his family for being an enthusiast of science fiction books and a lifelong learner. However, in contrast to this passion for knowledge, a relative revealed to NBC News that the young man, who is pursuing business studies at Strathclyde University, expressed fear about the deep-sea expedition to Azmeh Dawood.

Azmeh expressed that the situation feels like being stuck in a disastrous movie with a ticking clock, yet without knowing what the clock is for. He admitted that he has been finding it quite challenging to take breaths while contemplating their predicament.

What happened to the Titan submersible?

On the morning of June 18, the Titan submarine set off on a journey of approximately 2.4 miles beneath the ocean from the Canadian research ship, the Polar Prince, located around 435 miles south of St. John’s, Newfoundland.

The control center lost contact with the sub roughly an hour and 45 minutes into the dive.

A multi-agency search mission, comprising the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Navy, Canadian Coast Guard, and several private ships, was initiated. Spanning countless miles of ocean, this operation raced against time as we approached the fourth day since the Titan’s oxygen supply was depleted, setting a critical deadline for a successful rescue effort.

The teams employed sonar equipment to listen for any sounds and sent down an unmanned submarine to explore the deep waters of the North Atlantic.

Captain Jamie Frederick stated on June 20th that they wouldn’t be exerting such extensive efforts in searching if they didn’t believe there was any hope for recovery.

However, former U.S. Navy submarine captain David Marquet estimated the Titan passengers’ likelihood of survival as approximately 1%.

He explained to NPR’s Morning Edition that it was akin to envisioning a spacecraft lost beyond the moon’s far side. The challenge lies in locating it first, then reaching it. Even upon arrival, rescuing the people trapped inside and ensuring their safe return remains an ongoing task.

It was possible, he added, “but I think the families should prepare themselves for bad news.”

On June 21st, the Coast Guard reported that unusual underwater sounds had been picked up. As a result, the ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle) operations were moved to investigate where these strange noises were coming from.

“Those ROV searches have yielded negative results,” the agency said, “but continue.”

When did officials determine the Titan submersible had imploded?

Officials estimated that the 96-hour oxygen deadline passed at roughly 7:10 a.m. ET on June 22.

Later that day, it was reported by the Coast Guard that a robotic device from the Horizon Arctic ship had found the tail section of the Titan, along with other substantial wreckage suggestive of a devastating explosion in the pressure compartment, approximately 1,600 feet from the front of the Titanic.

However, long before any fragments of Titan were discovered at the ocean floor, there were already grounds for believing that the submarine had met with disaster.

According to the U.S. Navy, it appears that an explosion occurred shortly after a submarine submerged four days ago, as indicated by acoustic sensor readings. This suggests that some high-ranking officials may not have been looking for a fully functional vessel during their search.

As a lifestyle expert, I’d rephrase it like this: “Upon receiving this potentially crucial information, I promptly passed it along to the Incident Commander to aid in our ongoing search and rescue operation. This data was carefully evaluated alongside other partners’ acoustic findings, leading us to persist with our mission as a search and rescue team, exerting all our efforts to save those lives on board.

Specialists shared with NBC News that the force of the water pressure resembling the weight of approximately 10,000 tons of the famous Eiffel Tower collapsed the submerged vessel. However, due to the rapidity of the implosion, there wouldn’t have been a moment’s notice for those on board to react.

Professor Paul White, a specialist in underwater sounds and movements, stated that the individuals involved would have been completely unaware,” he said. “As soon as this watery mass struck them, their lives would have instantly ended.

What caused the implosion of the Titanic-bound sub?

The officials are still trying to find an explanation as to why the expedition turned fatal, and they continue to probe into what caused the collapse. The inquiry is still underway.

Cameron proposed the idea that the lightweight carbon-fiber composite used in building the Titan, which allowed it to perform deep dives similar to others but more lightly, might have contributed to its failure.

According to the filmmaker, who has embarked on multiple adventures such as a solo dive to the deepest part of the Mariana Trench using the 24-foot sub Deepsea Challenger in 2012, stated to the New York Times that “it’s not its intended purpose.

Cameron emphasized in several conversations that the deep-submergence engineering sector is known for adhering to the most stringent certification and safety regulations. He highlighted this as the reason behind no similar accident occurring previously.

He informed the Times that incidents similar to this one have never occurred before. Furthermore, there have never been any fatalities at such depths, nor has there ever been an implosion in these circumstances.

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2025-02-12 23:58