The Titan submersible implosion is perhaps one of the most tragic maritime disasters in modern times. To share more about the incident, Channel 5 is going to air a documentary on March 6 and 7, 2024. Titled Minute by Minute: The Titan Sub Disaster, this documentary will delve into the unfortunate day when the OceanGate submersible vanished in the North Atlantic. In total, five people were present in the underwater vehicle.
The focus on the incident began when the submersible went underwater to take its passengers to the wreckage of the Titanic. However, it lost signals with a Canadian expedition vessel, Polar Prince, just 1 hour and 45 minutes into the journey. According to People Magazine, the Polar Prince initially searched but failed to locate the vessel.
They soon contacted the Coast Guard for help. However, it was too late. The underwater vehicle had enough oxygen to survive 96 hours. Despite their efforts, they failed to locate the submersible. On June 20, 2023, the Coast Guard captain stated, “This is a very complex search, and the unified team is working around the clock to bring all available assets and expertise to bear as quickly as possible in an effort to solve this very complex problem.”
Two days later, the US Coast Guard found debris of the vessel. Reports suggest that all five individuals on board died due to a “catastrophic implosion.”
Channel 5’s latest documentary will explore the incident in more detail. The synopsis of Minute by Minute: The Titan Sub Disaster reads, “A year on from the tragedy, Minute by Minute: The Titan Sub Disaster produced by ITN Productions for Channel 5 in the UK creates a detailed picture of events leading up to Titan’s ill-fated expedition to the Titanic wreck and asks what lessons can be learned.”
When did the Titan disaster take place?
Preparations for this dangerous trip began on June 16 and 17, 2023. However, reports suggest that the vessel went underwater and disappeared a day later, on June 18. According to CNN, it is hard to say the exact time the Titan imploded. Coast Guard Rear Adm. John Mauger stated that is unlikely to establish a specific timeline of events because this disaster was “incredibly complex.”
The Titan submersible had five people on board. They were:
- Shahzada Dawood (Pakistani businessman)
- Suleman Dawood (Shahzada’s son)
- Hamish Harding (British businessman)
- Paul-Henri Nargeolet (French diver)
- Stockton Rush (Vessel pilot and CEO of OceanGate Expeditions)
Unfortunately, their remains could not be recovered. When the press asked John Mauger if there was a chance to find the remains, he replied that he didn’t have an answer.
Aileen Marty, a disaster medicine expert at Florida International University, talked with CNN’s Anderson Cooper. She stated that it would be impossible to find any recoverable remains of the victims. She stated, “There would be virtually nothing. They’re very unlikely to find anything there of human tissue.”
OceanGate was founded by Stockton Rush and Guillermo Söhnlein to make the depths of the ocean accessible with the aid of innovation. At the time of his death, Rush was 61 years old.
