Titan submersible

The submersible named the Titan took explorers down to the RMS Titanic at the ocean floor in the northern Atlantic Ocean. As constructed, the Titan was 22-foot (6.7-meter) long.

The Titan submersible reportedly imploded from water pressure in its initial descent, apparently prior to reaching the Titanic itself. All five passengers were tragically killed.

Canada discovered the wreckage, although the U.S. Coast Guard had been searching for days. Reportedly the U.S. Navy had detected the likely implosion of the Titan but this information was withheld by the Biden Administration from the public and apparently the rescue efforts.

The company in charge of the submersible, OceanGate, successfully took 46 people to the Titanic in 2021 and 2022:

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At least 46 people successfully traveled on OceanGate’s submersible to the Titanic in 2021 and 2022, according to letters the company filed with a U.S. District Court in Norfolk, Virginia, that oversees matters involving the shipwreck site.

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Speculation about flaws

There has been extensive discussion on the internet speculating as to possible engineering flaws in the Titan, but the cause of its implosion or explosion remains unclear.

Oxygen tank fire?

Deadly, oxygen tank fires occur in hospitals, and appear as plausible to have been the cause as the media-presumed implosion of the sub from water pressure.

Nearly a third of the sub consisted of oxygen.

Materials used

Movie director James Cameron, who has made many trips to the Titanic, criticized OceanGate for using composite materials rather than titanium (which is very expensive) or steel (which is heavy). The New York Post described Cameron's view as follows: {{The material likely led to the “critical failure” that claimed the lives of five passengers aboard the minivan-sized craft, Cameron told ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos.

“You don’t use composites for vessels that are seeing external pressure,” he said. “They’re great for internal pressure vessels like scuba tanks, for example, but they’re terrible for external pressure.”}}

Rubik's Cube

The 19-year-old passenger was an expert at solving Rubik's Cube, and took it with him on the journey:

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[His mother] also told the BBC that the 19-year-old was a Rubik’s Cube obsessive who took the puzzle, which he could solve in 12 seconds, with him on the Titan. “Suleman did not go anywhere without his Rubik’s cube,” Dawood said.

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See also

• The 5 passengers on the Titan
• NY Post article about a prominent passenger who was a Frenchman living in New York City
• planned use of Rubik's Cube by the teenager on the Titan
• Private equity