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Tragic Submersible Incident Revisited
Almost a year has passed since the Titan submersible, operated by OceanGate, suffered a catastrophic implosion as it descended to the ocean floor to explore the Titanic wreck. The CEO of the company, Stockton Rush, along with four other individuals, tragically lost their lives in the accident.
A recent article by Wired delved into the troubled development of the Titan submersible and highlighted the warning signs that were overlooked leading up to the disaster. Prior to the Titan, OceanGate had constructed the Cyclops, a steel-hulled prototype, to test the concept of a submersible.
A Challenging Test Dive
Wired reporter Mark Harris accompanied Rush on a test dive in the Cyclops in Seattle’s Elliott Bay. The journey encountered various challenges, with the sub experiencing software glitches and compass malfunctions. At one point, they even got lost on the seafloor, adding to the tension of the expedition.
“Ninety minutes later and 130 meters deeper, we were totally lost. The shipwreck we aimed to explore was nowhere to be seen,” described Harris.
Rush, undeterred by the difficulties faced during the Cyclops dive, emphasized the importance of starting with a prototype to iron out such issues before progressing to more advanced submersibles. He remained optimistic about the future, despite the setbacks.
From Cyclops to Titan
The Cyclops prototype eventually evolved into the Titan submersible. The article on Wired further explores the concerns surrounding the Titan’s carbon-fiber construction, including Boeing’s initial involvement in the design process.
Boeing had produced a detailed 70-page preliminary design for the Titan but later distanced itself from the project. The intricacies of carbon-fiber construction and the challenges it posed are thoroughly examined in the Wired piece.
For more details, you can read the full article on Wired here.
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