CATASTROPHIC
THE UNITED States Coast Guard has been searching for a missing Titanic submersible since Sunday, June 18, 2023.
The watercraft was on its way to explore the site of the Titanic shipwreck when it lost contact with the surface ship.
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What happens when a submarine implodes?
The missing submersible, known as the Titan, has raised a lot of questions, but the one that most want the answer to is what happened?
At this time, it is not known what caused the 22-foot watercraft to lose contact, but one of the possibilities is that it imploded underwater.
"If they weren't there (at the wreck) that means something had to happen mid-water that caused them to lose power or radio communications," Dr. David Gallo, a senior adviser with RMS Titanic Inc., told .
The worst case scenario is "probably a collapse - a catastrophic implosion of the sub itself which would be horrific. There's no coming back from that. I would have to say that has got to be the number one option here - which is unpleasant to think about. I don't know how else you can disappear that quickly."
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If a submarine implodes, it means that it collapses inwards on itself as a result of the water's high pressure, according to .
The event would be catastrophic to those on board and no one would be able to survive.
Who was on the Titanic tourist submarine?
After the submarine's disappearance was reported, it was revealed that there were five passengers on board.
Two of the missing people were OceanGate crew members while the other three were tourists who paid $250,000 (£200,000) to be trained to become "mission specialist crew members."
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The five passengers included:
- Stockton Rush, OceanGate's CEO
- Hamish Harding, a businessman, aviator, and space tourist
- Shahzada Dawood, a UK-based businessman and billionaire
- Sulaiman Dawood, Shahzada's 19-year-old son
- Paul-Henry Nargeolet, the Director of Underwater Research for E/M Group and RMS Titanic, Inc.
Despite the Coast Guard's best efforts, the craft was not found in time and it is believed that everyone on board died.
"We now believe that our CEO Stockton Rush, Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman Dawood, Hamish Harding, and Paul-Henri Nargeolet, have sadly been lost," OceanGate said in a statement.
Titanic OceanGate Submarine News
Everything you need to know about the missing submarine, which vanished near the Titanic on June 18, 2023.
- What happened to the OceanGate Submarine?
- When did it go missing?
- Who is Hamish Harding?
- How deep is the Titanic in the ocean?
- Can the passengers escape the submarine alive?
- Do submarines like this disappear often and has this happened before?
- Who is taking part in the rescue effort?
- Who is Paul-Henry Nargeolet and what is he known for?
- Who else is missing on the stricken vessel?
- When did the Titanic sink and have people explored the wreckage before?
"These men were true explorers who shared a distinct spirit of adventure, and a deep passion for exploring and protecting the world’s oceans.
"Our hearts are with these five souls and every member of their families during this tragic time. We grieve the loss of life and joy they brought to everyone they knew."
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When did the Titanic sink?
The Titanic was a British passenger liner that sank in the North Atlantic Ocean on its way from Southampton, England, to New York City.
It set sail on Wednesday, April 10, 1912, and was only 400 miles off the coast when it hit an iceberg near Newfoundland, Canada, just four days into the trip.
The damage was so severe that it caused the ship to sink, and due to a limited number of lifeboats, only 700 passengers and crew members were able to survive.
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Roughly 1,500 people died as a result, according to .
The submersible that went missing in 2023 was on its way to explore the historic shipwreck.
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