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| Titan's destruction and death of passengers confirmed: 'Shortly after contact was lost, the US Navy recorded a sound consistent with an explosion |
A U.S. Navy official says an unusual sound consistent with an explosion was recorded shortly after the recreational submarine Titan lost contact near the wreck of the Titanic in the Atlantic Ocean, possibly from the submarine. Was born from destruction.
Speaking to American TV channel CBS News, the official said that the information was immediately provided to the US Coast Guard who used it to narrow down their search.
However, it is not clear why this information was not made public earlier.
A sound consistent with the explosion is believed to have been recorded by the US Navy's secret long-range sonar system. The acoustic surveillance system was developed in the 1950s during the Cold War to detect the presence of Soviet submarines in the remote depths of the Atlantic Ocean.
The pleasure submarine Titan set off on Sunday for a fun trip to the wreck of the historic Titanic at a depth of 3,800 meters in the Atlantic Ocean, but it lost contact less than two hours after the start of the trip.
After more than four days of multinational rescue operations, the US Coast Guard confirmed on Thursday that the missing submarine had been destroyed and that all five people on board, including two Pakistani-born Britons, had died.
The cruise operator Ocean Gate, whose founders were also aboard the Titan submarine, said in a statement: 'We believe that our CEO Stockton Rush, Prince Dawood, his son Suleiman Dawood, Hamish Harding and Paul Henry, lost.'
This statement was preceded by confirmation from the US Coast Guard that during the search for the Titan, some debris was found on the sea floor near the structure of the Titanic.
Diving expert David Mearns, a friend of the Titan passengers, told the BBC that the wreckage included the landing frame of the Titan submarine.
US Coast Guard Rear Admiral John Mager said at a press conference that the tail of the Titan submarine was found about 1,600 feet from the wreckage of the Titanic on Thursday morning. He said that more debris was also discovered during the search.
According to the US Coast Guard, Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) will remain on the ocean floor and try to gather more information. Officials say that 'it may not be possible to find the bodies of the dead as the sea environment at this location is extremely dangerous.'
The part of the ocean where the wreckage of the Titanic is located is called the 'Midnight Zone' because the temperature is freezing and there is total darkness. Outer space is complex and difficult.
'Tragedy brought out the best and worst characteristics of people
In a statement released on Twitter by the Dawood family, it is said that it is with great sadness that we announce the death of Prince and Sulaiman Dawood.
"Our beloved children were on board Oceangate's Titan submarine that sank under the sea." Please remember the deceased and our family in your prayers at this difficult time.
In a statement to the BBC, the family also said that 'like any tragedy of this nature, it brought out the best and worst in people.'
Some support beyond their means on such occasions and some use such occasions for their personal gain. How one behaves in such a situation is actually a reflection of their own character.
The statement said that we are truly grateful to the people who participated in the rescue operation, their tireless efforts were a source of courage for us in this difficult time.
"We are grateful to our friends, family, co-workers, and well-wishers around the world who stood by us during this difficult time. With this immense love and support during this time, we have been able to try to cope with this unimaginable loss.
In a statement issued by the Dawood family, it is said that "We also sympathize with the families of the other passengers on the Titan submarine."
The family has said that an announcement will be made soon regarding his last rites.
How is the water pressure at depth deadly?
The deeper you go, the more the water above you presses down on you.
It is unclear what exactly caused the Titan submarine to explode, but experts say it could have been caused by a slight weakness in its outer structure.
The pressure felt at sea level is called 'one atmosphere' or about 6.6 kilograms per square inch of pressure.
This pressure doubles for every 10 meters of water depth. So the pressure at a depth of 3,000 meters, approximately where the submarine was destroyed, was about 300 times greater than the surface pressure.
The wreck of the Titanic lies in the midnight zone, officially known as the bathypelagic zone, which lies between 3,300 feet and 13,100 feet. The temperature here is about four degrees Celsius and the pressure is at least 100 times greater than sea level.
There are very few living things that do this they can survive in the desert and survive extreme stress, darkness, and cold, and die soon after being brought to the surface.
What was the focus of the search?
The crew of the Titan submarine lost contact with the surface ship Polar Prince an hour and 45 minutes after it began its underwater journey on Sunday.
The extra oxygen supply to the people in the submarine was due to run out on Thursday at 4 pm Pakistani time.
The Titanic wreck is 435 miles south of St. John's, Newfoundland.
US and Canadian agencies, navies, and commercial companies capable of deep-sea operations were part of the rescue operation. The operation was conducted from Boston, Massachusetts, and was supported by military aircraft and sonar buoys.
Some of these ships carried 'remotely operated vehicles' (ROVs) which were used to locate the submarine on the sea floor.
Professor Alistair Greig conducts submarine research at University College London. Chief among the problems, he said, was that rescuers didn't know whether to find the submarine on the surface or on the ocean floor because it was "very unlikely" that it would be found. Be in the middle.
Who is Prince David?
48-year-old Prince Dawood, a member of a large Pakistani business family and a board member of the Prince's Trust Charity in the UK, and his 19-year-old son Sulaiman were also aboard the missing submarine.
A statement issued by the Dawood family after the submarine went missing said: 'Our son Prince Dawood and his son Suleiman embarked on a journey to see the remains of the Titanic in the Atlantic Ocean. At present, contact with their submarine craft (small submarine) has been lost and the information available about it is limited.
The Dawood family is one of the richest families in Pakistan, but they also have deep ties to Britain.
Prince Dawood was the Vice Chairman of Engro Corporation. The company operates in the fertilizer, food, and energy sectors. His sons were studying at Sulaiman University.
A statement released by a family spokesperson said: "Solomon is a huge fan of science fiction literature and loves to learn new things."
According to British media, Prince Dawood was born in Pakistan but later moved to the UK, where he studied law at the University of Buckingham, while he also completed an MSc in Global Textile Marketing from the University of Philadelphia.
Prince Dawood was also a trustee of the SETI Institute, a space research company, and some details about him are provided on the institute's website.
According to these details, Prince Dawood was living in the UK with his wife Christine, and their children Sulaiman and Alina. He was fond of photography and was known as an animal lover.
Prince Dawood was the Vice Chairman of 'The Dawood Hercules Corporation'. Dawood Hercules Corporation is part of the Dawood Group and the family has been active in the business world for over a century. Prince Dawood joined the family business in 1996 where his expertise lies in corporate governance and industrial sector renewal in Pakistan.
Dawood Hercules Corporation manages and oversees a diverse range of industries where Prince Dawood has been instrumental in exploring opportunities for integration and growth and innovation in sectors such as energy, agri-food, food, petrochemicals, and textiles.
Prince was also a shareholder director on the boards of Dawood Engro Corporation Limited and Dawood Lawrencepur Limited.
What is a Titanic Wreck Tour?
According to the Ocean Gate Company's advertising campaign, this eight-day journey is an opportunity to step out of ordinary life and discover something extraordinary.
According to the company's website, two expeditions are planned to be sent in 2024 as well.
This small submarine carries a pilot plus three ticket-paying guest passengers. Apart from them, according to the company, an expert is also on board the submarine.
The expedition begins at St. John's in Newfoundland.
According to the company's V site, it has three submarines, of which only the Titan was capable of going that deep.
The weight of this submarine was 10432 kg and according to the website, it can go to a depth of 13100 feet. The submarine has life support for up to 96 hours.
It should be noted that the Titanic, the largest ship of its time, sank in 1912 when it hit an iceberg on its maiden voyage to New York. More than 1,500 of the 2,200 passengers and crew members on board were killed.
The wreckage of this ship was first discovered in 1985.