The recent news about the missing OceanGate Titan submersible vehicle has left many experts and enthusiasts worried. The submersible was on a journey to visit the famed Titanic wreckage in the Atlantic Ocean when it lost contact with the surface less than two hours into its descent. Now, the US Coast Guard has scheduled a press conference to possibly announce that the remains of Titan have been found on the ocean floor.
According to dive expert David Mearns, who is also a friend of passengers on Titan, a debris field was discovered near the Titanic, which includes a landing frame and a rear cover from the submersible. If there was a hull breach, the passengers would have been exposed to over 5,500 pounds per square inch (PSI) of pressure, which is an extraordinary force exerted by the ocean at such a depth.
Although it is uncertain what caused the possible failure of the submersible, experts suggest that the growth in deep-sea tourism may lead to more accidents like this. Even the most reliable technology can fail, says Dr. Nicolai Roterman, a deep-sea ecologist and lecturer in marine biology at the University of Portsmouth.
Many are waiting for updates from the Coast Guard to find out what happened to the submersible and its passengers. However, it is important to remember that the deep sea is a very inhospitable place, and accidents will happen.
