Since it was revealed that the five crew members of the OceanGate Titan submarine perished in an implosion, many people have been curious about what that might have been like. TikTok users have produced their own simulations and examples of what the implosion looked like, for better or worse.
The videos offer a grim glimpse into what happened deep below the ocean’s surface for those who are interested.
For those who lost loved ones on board the Titan submarine, there may be some comfort in knowing that it is likely they did not suffer. In one video posted on Twitter by @starfieldstudio, the modified OceanGate submersible can be seen sinking before it starts collapsing inward, like a can of Coke.
Armin Cate of NBC News explained, “From what I gather, the submersible imploded. In other terms, the submersible’s front and back were blown off by the water’s powerful force. You could compare smashing that tube in the middle to crushing a Coca-Cola can.”
In the video, a statement says, “The hull would immediately heat the air in the sub to around the temperature of the sun’s surface, as a wall of metal and seawater smashed one end of the boat to the other, all in around 30 milliseconds.”
Another video by @sincerelybootz explains, “So basically this is what happens when a submarine implodes.” Regarding the potential loss of lives on board, it is extremely instantaneous.
@starfieldstudio Submarine implosion demonstration. Educational #submarine #titan #titanic ♬ Amityville Horror – Scary Halloween Sound Effects – Halloween Sound Effects
Stockton Rush, the CEO of OceanGate who died during the dive, is said to have previously disregarded or discounted warnings about the submersible’s safety.
Rob McCallum, a deep-sea scientist, has made public his email exchanges with Stockton. In one, he writes, “I believe you might be putting yourself and your clients in a risky scenario.
You are emulating the catchphrase ‘She is unsinkable’ as you sprint to the Titanic. I beg you to use extreme caution and extreme conservatism during your testing and sea trials.”
Stockton responded, “We have heard the baseless cries of ‘you are going to kill someone’ way too often. This offends me deeply on a personal level.”
The US Navy has confirmed that an implosion-like sound was audible shortly after the submersible lost contact. There is speculation that the submersible may not have been operating in accordance with international laws.
The Guardian reported that the sub was not classified by a marine industry organization that establishes fundamental engineering criteria. According to OceanGate, this was because they believed the design was so novel that it would take inspectors years to fully understand it.
American businessman Jay Bloom revealed that he and his son were in contention to fill the spots that Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman Dawood ultimately took. Bloom said, “I expressed safety concerns and Stockton responded, ‘While there’s obviously risk — it’s way safer than flying in a helicopter or even scuba diving.’
He was adamant that it was less dangerous than crossing the street. I’m certain he genuinely believed what he was saying. However, he was dead wrong.”
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