The five people aboard the highly exclusive submersible were travelling to see the wreckage of the famous Titanic.
But contact was lost with the vessel about one hour and 45 minutes into its dive. The six-metre submersible, named Titan, had the capacity to stay underwater for 96 hours – giving the five people aboard a short amount of time until air ran out.
It was a story that simultaneously shocked and fascinated the world. Those onboard all came from very privileged backgrounds, each paying around AUD$350,000 to embark on the risky voyage.
Then days into the massive international search, an unmanned deep-sea robot discovered the wreckage of the Titan. All on board had died.
The wreckage was found about 488 metres from the bow of the century-old Titanic shipwreck and 4km below the surface.
The US coast guard said the people onboard had died in what appeared to have been an accident involving a sudden “catastrophic implosion”. It had likely occurred very shortly into the voyage, giving some small comfort to loved ones that those on board hadn’t suffered.
Overall rescue teams from several countries had spent days searching thousands of square miles of open seas with planes and ships for any sign of the 6.7-metre Titan. The fact, the wreckage and answers were found, considering the odds, was nothing short of remarkable.
It’s stories like these that have left an indelible mark on 2023, along with many others.
Feature Image: Getty, AAP, YouTube, Canva, Google, Twitter.
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