Titanic tourist sub goes missing in Atlantic Ocean, June 2023 #2

[Sundog]

If the debris is from the Titan imploding, isn’t it surprising that there’s actually debris big enough to see?

Earlier an interview was posted of a journalist (who is also a scientist) who talked about his own experience on a reseach submersible that explored the Titanic many years ago. On that occasion, they attached items to the outside of their sub in water-proof enclosures to show the impact of the pressure on those items and when they ascended back to their mother ship/research ship, they opened the bags and could see how the pressure had reduced the size of the items considerably, but they were still recognizable.

I don't know if they will find the remains of the Titan passengers, and if they do, will the equipment be able to retrieve them? I hope so. Apparently these ROV's are used to retrieve downed airplanes and other vehicles, so perhaps they are able to retrieve much of the debris field, including the remains of the deceased, if this is in fact what happened.

 

[fred&edna]

THIS. I think this is what bothers me most about this whole thing. It’s so senseless. There is absolutely zero reason for the good of humanity involved. It was aight seeing and thrill seeking (I don’t blame the victims for that. It’s something we’re all guilty of to different extremes, I’m just stating a fact) We don’t even need to be researching the titanic imo. We know what happened to it, where it happened, and cruise ships have VASTLY improved since then. Nothing more to be gained and no reason to go down there. Let the dead Rest In Peace and quit toying with their burial ground. All moo and no disrespect meant to these victims. Sometimes it is what it is.

I watched part of a Titanic documentary with video from the wreckage and despite the decay and rusticles there was an intact chandelier still attached to part of a ceiling, a brass bed with some ornate detail... and much more. Is it best to leave it to ruin or do we save these things as many of us preciously save the heirlooms and momentoes of our deceased ancestors? What about other quasi-scientists/bad marine-researchers who ARE definite thieves who might build a mini-sub or marine robotic tools and steal these items?

This isn't directed at you personally @ForensicToxicologist (I'm just jumping off your post).

I do know the RSS Titanic Inc and its' artifacts are vastly popular to many people and many countries. Maybe everyone has a different idea of what is the right/best thing to do (and how to do it).

 

[pineapple23]

If it does turn out to have been an implosion, I'm wondering whether it was simply a matter of metal fatigue - ie the Titan having gradually weakened over previous trips.

 

[Maat99]

The most disturbing thing to me is the apparent shoddiness of the whole endeavor. From communication ”problems” that occurred so frequently it makes me wonder if it was even seen as a problem, to parts being attached by zip ties. It’s fine to want to explore the mysteries of the ocean floor and the wreck of the Titanic, but why treat it so cavalierly?
Do some people (like the ones heading up OceanGate) take so many risks with their lives and survive that they lose all ability to objectively assess risk?

 

[Deepinthought52]

An apparent debris field was found but hasn’t that been a debris field for over 100 years? How do they know it’s from these guys? Guess they’ll let us know. At least they passed away doing something they thought they loved.

 

[Erutan]

During an interview with the journalist who went down to view the Titanic in a submersible many years ago, he said that the passengers all joined together in a moment of silence in memory of those who lost their lives on the Titanic. It was very respectful.

I do this when visiting museum exhibits from Egypt with ancient sarcophagi. And on various other occasions involving similar historical contexts.

I don't have a problem with research excursions to the Titanic. I believe most are handled respectfully.

Bbm.
Thanks for pointing this out. ^^^

As far as the initial Titanic tragedy, everything is nearly gone and all there is left are some dishes, chairs, clothes, etc.

Any future excursions people or remote cameras are going to possibly see the newer debris field, and that will be a painful reminder for many.
It's likely that there may be limited or no trips to the wreck for this reason alone ?
Eta : Unless they're able to recover all or most of the submersible.

But I know the rest of the world doesn't always see it that way.
In the past, it didn't stop Ballard, Cameron, and later others from exploring the wreck --although that was before this needless tragedy.

As far as artifacts being brought up, it's been mentioned that those who went to see the exhibits felt that everything was handled very respectfully and again it's a way to memorialize the victims.
But now such trips down to the wreck will prob. end.

My guess is that OceanGate will be no more ... after all is said and done.
And even though Harding and Dawood are wealthy, their loved ones must be furious and I expect there to be lawsuits filed.
M00.

 

[Deepinthought52]

If it does turn out to have been an implosion, I'm wondering whether it was simply a matter of metal fatigue - ie the Titan having gradually weakened over previous trips.

There seem to have been several safety concerns ignored. Seems an inevitable loss and large dose of denial. Nobody pays attention to warnings until something disastrous happens. Then the stories are made public.

 

[iamshadow21]

I understand an implosion likely happened, but is there any chance part of the mechanics of the sub survived and were making a rhythmic knocking sound?

The entire wreck site is like an enormous junkyard, with currents swirling through it. Most of it decomposing steel, scattered and balanced and collapsing slowly into itself. Things shift, sway, groan, bang, fall... and they've been doing it by degrees for a century.

I don't think the sound was from the Titan. I think it was from the Titanic itself, all over it. It's been singing itself to sleep in this way since it first settled to the bottom of the ocean.

MOO

 

[Sulamith]

I really hope they got to see it, but I fear not. It’s like when people die on Everest - better to have happened on the way back down. And there’s a point, actually, we don’t rescue all Everest bodies as some are too difficult to reach safely, so they lie where they died forever and double as way markers. See old green boots over there? Means we’re about half way.

OT: Documentary "Finding Michael" It is about a man that was searching for his brother that was lost on Everest. I watched it on Hulu.

 

[ArianeEmory]

An apparent debris field was found but hasn’t that been a debris field for over 100 years? How do they know it’s from these guys? Guess they’ll let us know. At least they passed away doing something they thought they loved.

The headlines all read that the debris field is NEAR the Titanic wreck site. The actual Titanic wreck is pretty thoroughly mapped out at this point in time, I don’t think that’s a mistake they’d make.

 

[cenazoic]

I wonder if whatever caused this new debris field also damaged the Titanic in the process.

 

[Erutan]

An apparent debris field was found but hasn’t that been a debris field for over 100 years? How do they know it’s from these guys? Guess they’ll let us know. At least they passed away doing something they thought they loved.

The white plastic and silver front section, plus maybe parts of the interior like the platform they were sitting on ?
Items that would obviously not belong the the Titanic and would stand out.
Imo.

 

[Lexiintoronto]

The entire wreck site is like an enormous junkyard, with currents swirling through it. Most of it decomposing steel, scattered and balanced and collapsing slowly into itself. Things shift, sway, groan, bang, fall... and they've been doing it by degrees for a century.

I don't think the sound was from the Titan. I think it was from the Titanic itself, all over it. It's been singing itself to sleep in this way since it first settled to the bottom of the ocean.

MOO

Beautiful way to put it.

 

[lonetraveler]

Listening to it live here while also following migrants lost at sea.

#BREAKING: Coast Guard press conference, "debris found" in Titan submersible search | #HeyJB Live

A debris field was discovered on the sea floor near the Titanic wreckage during the search for the missing OceanGate Titan submersible, according to an annou...

www.youtube.com

Excellent source for "live" news. Been following this site since beginning.

 

[Deepinthought52]

Bbm.
Thanks for pointing this out. ^^^

As far as the initial tragedy, everything is nearly gone and all there is left are some dishes, chairs, clothes, etc.

Any future excursions people or remote cameras are going to possibly see the newer debris field, and that will be a painful reminder for many.
It's likely that there may be limited or no trips to the wreck for this reason alone ?
But I know the rest of the world doesn't always see it that way.
In the past, it didn't stop Cameron and later others from exploring the wreck --although that was before this needless tragedy.

As far as artifacts being brought up, it's been mentioned that those who went to see the exhibits felt that everything was handled very respectfully and again it's a way to memorialize the victims.
But now such trips will prob. end.

My guess is that OceanGate will be no more ... after all is said and done.
And even though Harding and Dawood are wealthy, their loved ones must be furious and I expect there to be lawsuits filed.

They might be furious but didn’t stop the men from going. For something like this, the men made the decision to go, even if in hindsight now the blame game begins.

 

[Erutan]

There seem to have been several safety concerns ignored. Seems an inevitable loss and large dose of denial. Nobody pays attention to warnings until something disastrous happens. Then the stories are made public.

Iirc, someone was fired from OceanGate for pointing out safety issues ?

 

[Erutan]

They might be furious but didn’t stop the men from going. For something like this, the men made the decision to go, even if in hindsight now the blame game begins.

Yes, that is true.

 

[citizen_sleuth]

An apparent debris field was found but hasn’t that been a debris field for over 100 years? How do they know it’s from these guys? Guess they’ll let us know. At least they passed away doing something they thought they loved.

The Titanic wreckage has been down there for over a century and as a result is covered with stalactites of rust, whereas any debris from the Titan would not be weathered/rusted (it might be deformed if it imploded, but the surface would not be rusted like the Titanic debris).

 

[Herat]

The entire wreck site is like an enormous junkyard, with currents swirling through it. Most of it decomposing steel, scattered and balanced and collapsing slowly into itself. Things shift, sway, groan, bang, fall... and they've been doing it by degrees for a century.

I don't think the sound was from the Titan. I think it was from the Titanic itself, all over it. It's been singing itself to sleep in this way since it first settled to the bottom of the ocean.

MOO

Very poignant, poetic comment.

 

[Gemmie]

They say 3:00 pm. I’d guess that they mean Eastern Time, three hours from now.

3pm EST is not 3 hrs from now. Your post was at 8am PST (since that's where I am). I'm 3 hrs before EST which would have made it 11am EST when you made your post.

Below is one of the various timezone calendars out there. Simply change the 2nd 'To' field to your timezone. I've input all other fields for folks (Time, date, EST).

Time Zone Calculator

This calculator converts between different time zones around the world using the GMT format and provides a map delineating standard time zones globally.

www.calculator.net