Recent investigations into the Titan submersible’s tragic implosion have revealed startling new information about what might have gone wrong.
Testimony and Malfunction Details
Former scientific director Dr. Steven Ross took the stand before a US Coast Guard panel on Thursday.
He disclosed that days before the ill-fated June 2023 mission to the Titanic, the Titan had suffered a ‘platform issue.’
This malfunction caused significant turbulence for the passengers, with one crew member reportedly colliding with the bulkhead.
According to a physicist not involved in the hearing, this incident might have been the starting point for the catastrophic failure, with a faulty connection between the hull’s carbon fiber and titanium ring potentially being the culprit.
The Fatal Voyage and Trial Developments
The Titan submersible vanished on June 18, 2023, and the team responsible for its development is now facing trial for the incident.
Dr. Ross admitted that he was unsure if a thorough assessment of Titan’s hull was conducted before its dive into the Atlantic.
However, he assured the panel that the team was composed of competent professionals.
Despite the malfunction being kept secret until now, the submersible was deployed, leading to the tragic event.
New Insights from Deep-Sea Footage
Earlier this week, the US Coast Guard released haunting deep-sea footage of the wreckage scattered across the seafloor.
Physicist Scott Manley examined the footage for clues about the disaster that occurred 12,500 feet underwater.
The prevailing theory has been that the hull’s carbon fiber and titanium buckled under immense pressure.
Manley noted that if the failure had occurred in the middle, debris would have been found both at the front and rear of the submersible.
Instead, footage showed carbon debris only in the hull’s center, with the nose cone missing and the tail separated.
Theories and Analysis
Manley proposed that the pressure hull failed at the junction where the carbon fiber and titanium ring met at the front of the submersible.
This failure likely spread backward, causing the water to force its way into the rear cabin in milliseconds.
The sudden rush of water probably caused the bolts to snap and the window to blow out.
Manley elaborated further in a YouTube video, suggesting that a crack began at the front bulkhead—a large, titanium ring—leading to a catastrophic internal collapse.
The Impact of the Water Rush
According to Manley, the influx of water led to the submersible’s structure being torn apart from the inside out.
The water eventually struck the rear bulkhead, which caused the cone-shaped tail to detach.
The remnants visible in the footage—carbon fiber debris and a detached rear ring—support this theory.
Adhesive and Construction Concerns
The titanium rings were secured using an adhesive similar to epoxy glue.
Manley pointed out that this method, also used by the US Navy, requires precise alignment between the titanium and carbon fiber sections to withstand pressure.
Any misalignment or poor adhesive quality could lead to catastrophic stress and failure.
Moving Forward
With these revelations, the investigation continues to piece together the full picture of what led to the Titan’s devastating implosion.
What steps will be taken next to address these issues and prevent future tragedies remains to be seen.
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