Titanic tourist submersible goes missing

[wanderingback]

Jun 20, 2023 15:14:13 GMT -5 msmerymac said:

Jun 20, 2023 11:32:44 GMT -5 elleblue said:

Not only that but since the Titanic is in international waters, the sub did not need to be licensed, inspected, or certified by any external body.

YET the coast guard is rescuing them (in theory). Do they even have the capability to go 2 miles down?

Which answers a question a coworker of mine had to day about whether the coast guard would save you if you were attacked by pirates in international waters. 

No they don’t. In the article it talks about that even if they are found at the bottom of the ocean there is pretty much no way to get them. It talks about another rescue that was the worlds deepest rescue and it’s at half the depth. So yeah, unless the vessel is lost at the surface somewhere the chances are slim that they can get rescued even if found.

[Velar Fricative]

News just broke from NYT that the fifth passenger is the OceanGate CEO.

[lust2hart]

Can we get some @s in here on the comments about the son/stepson?

[nothingcontroversial]

Do you think that they took Covid tests and / or wore face masks during the trip?

[icedcoffee]

Jun 20, 2023 16:51:48 GMT -5 nothingcontroversial said:

Do you think that they took Covid tests and / or wore face masks during the trip?

No.

But also—I think this is the least of their worries.

[gretchenindisguise]

Jun 20, 2023 16:51:48 GMT -5 nothingcontroversial said:

Do you think that they took Covid tests and / or wore face masks during the trip?

They don't strike me as the type to believe in covid.

[RoxMonster]

Jun 20, 2023 15:16:51 GMT -5 msmerymac said:

The issue is that they haven't popped to the surface as far as anyone can tell (unless they just haven't been found), so if they haven't, it leads to the assumption that the vehicle imploded due to a leak or some other catastrophe. Which is, at least, quick. So I'm not sure why people are worried about bathroom access or oxygen.

I feel like this is likely what happened. But I know some people online have questioned whether the vessel may have gotten caught or stuck on something (possibly even the wreckage of the Titanic) which prevented it from being able to surface. I guess in that instance, they would die from running out of oxygen?

[fryjack2]

The fact that it could be bobbin around somewhere on the surface of the ocean but no one can find them because there isn't a beacon on it and so they may run out of oxygen and die before being found is something.

And I know this makes me sound like a jerk, but one of the first thoughts that came to my mind after reading all the details of this story was....play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

Hoping for the best case scenario for these people and their families.

[mysteriouswife]

Jun 20, 2023 16:13:58 GMT -5 lust2hart said:

Can we get some @s in here on the comments about the son/stepson?

Sorry. I thought I was in ML. I fixed it

[sunshineandpinot]

This is really morbid, but with the risk this involves, could they possibly pack cyanide tablets? Is that a thing or do I read too many WW2 novels? I mean, if they're lost or trapped....... :/

[RoxMonster]

www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/searchers-for-titanic-tourist-sub-heard-banging-from-area-internal-comms-reveal/ar-AA1cOArs?li=BBnbklE

"A Canadian aircraft searching for the missing Titan submersible, which failed to return Sunday from an expedition to the wreckage of the Titanic, detected “banging” in 30-minute intervals coming from the area the divers disappeared, according to internal e-mail updates sent to Department of Homeland Security leadership and obtained by Rolling Stone."

"A DHS official told Rolling Stone, that as of 5 hours ago the Titan still had 40 hours of oxygen left and stated that the “situation looks bleak,” adding that they believe the banging was coming from the craft, but that haven’t heard any noise since yesterday."

[jeaniebueller]

Some user of Reddit claimed he was part of a documentary crew that was going to film about this device and after watching an unsuccessful launch, did not feel comfortable riding in it and backed out. The story could be BS, but seems like the entire sub was a piece of junk without nearly enough safety features.

[konapoppy]

I just cannot fathom a world where I would risk my life to see the fucking titanic.

[goldengirlz]

Jun 20, 2023 15:16:51 GMT -5 msmerymac said:

The issue is that they haven't popped to the surface as far as anyone can tell (unless they just haven't been found), so if they haven't, it leads to the assumption that the vehicle imploded due to a leak or some other catastrophe. Which is, at least, quick. So I'm not sure why people are worried about bathroom access or oxygen.

It’s being reported in multiple places though that sonar buoys have identified “underwater noises,” which some news outlets have described as “banging” noise.

I agree that that’s a much more horrific scenario to think about than a quick implosion (especially given what we know about how hard a rescue would be, even if the submersible is found). Rescuers are searching for something roughly the size of a minivan in an area roughly the size of Connecticut — and it’s being described as an area with rough waves and choppy water. I don’t think you can make any assumptions whatsoever at this point about where the vessel is and what kind of condition it’s in — so yeah, that worry about oxygen is still very, very relevant.

[wise_rita]

Jun 20, 2023 13:28:29 GMT -5 gretchenindisguise said:

All I keep thinking about is where did they poop while in this contraption?

I have no source because a friend told me, but she said that they were instructed not to eat prior to leaving so nobody would have to poop.

So if they are bobbing around somewhere awaiting death they will be hungry while they wait!

[neverfstop]

David Lochridge, OceanGate’s director of marine operations, wrote an engineering report in 2018 that said the craft under development needed more testing and that passengers might be endangered when it reached “extreme depths,” according to a lawsuit filed that year in U.S. District Court in Seattle.


OceanGate sued Lochridge that year, accusing him of breaching a non-disclosure agreement, and he filed a counterclaim alleging that he was wrongfully fired for raising questions about testing and safety. The case settled on undisclosed terms several months after it was filed.

Further, the craft was designed to reach depths of 4,000 meters (13,123 feet), where the Titanic rested. But, according to Lochridge, the passenger viewport was only certified for depths of up to 1,300 meters (4,265 feet), and OceanGate would not pay for the manufacturer to build a viewport certified for 4,000 meters.

apnews.com/article/titanic-missing-submersible-lawsuit-oceangate-0e5fc9a0313938fdf408b1459538d9ef?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter_axiosam&stream=top

this post needs a pic

[hermione]

The banging noises have me all kinds of freaked out. How terrified these people must be if they are indeed still alive.

[shauni27]

Jun 20, 2023 21:00:41 GMT -5 sunshineandpinot said:

This is really morbid, but with the risk this involves, could they possibly pack cyanide tablets? Is that a thing or do I read too many WW2 novels? I mean, if they're lost or trapped....... :/

I said this yesterday when we were talking about it! I said "I hope they have cyanide or something to cause instant death because that sounds preferable to dying from running out of oxygen."

[kath16]

this is very far from the point, but in addition to all the reasons already mentioned about NOT doing this... there is only one small window? like, in the absolute best case scenario, you go through all that for $250K to what, take turns looking out the window to see the wreckage?

people have too much money.

[Velar Fricative]

Jun 21, 2023 7:06:05 GMT -5 hermione said:

The banging noises have me all kinds of freaked out. How terrified these people must be if they are indeed still alive.

Yeah. Part of me was almost hoping that, because a successful rescue seems pretty unlikely, something catastrophic had occurred that would have made them pass quickly and painlessly. So while this is a good sign that they’re still alive, I’m horrified by the thought of them being so helpless in there.

[pixy0stix]

Jun 21, 2023 7:53:52 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

Jun 21, 2023 7:06:05 GMT -5 hermione said:

The banging noises have me all kinds of freaked out. How terrified these people must be if they are indeed still alive.

Yeah. Part of me was almost hoping that, because a successful rescue seems pretty unlikely, something catastrophic had occurred that would have made them pass quickly and painlessly. So while this is a good sign that they’re still alive, I’m horrified by the thought of them being so helpless in there.

Yeah. I read about the noises last night and decided to not look at the internet anymore last night. It's just too bleak.

[Deleted]

Jun 21, 2023 7:17:41 GMT -5 shauni27 said:

Jun 20, 2023 21:00:41 GMT -5 sunshineandpinot said:

This is really morbid, but with the risk this involves, could they possibly pack cyanide tablets? Is that a thing or do I read too many WW2 novels? I mean, if they're lost or trapped....... :/

I said this yesterday when we were talking about it! I said "I hope they have cyanide or something to cause instant death because that sounds preferable to dying from running out of oxygen."

It sounds preferable to spending 96 hours stuck in a minivan with a bunch of male billionaires.

[karinothing]

I can't think about the banging and just keep thinking it could be anything.

Have they sent an unmanned sub down at all? I heard some theory it could be tangled in wreckage. But I would assume they sent some unmanned sub down there to look around (assuming I guess that one is accessible).

[msmerymac]

Jun 20, 2023 21:00:41 GMT -5 sunshineandpinot said:

This is really morbid, but with the risk this involves, could they possibly pack cyanide tablets? Is that a thing or do I read too many WW2 novels? I mean, if they're lost or trapped....... :/

I think I would look up what running out of oxygen entails first. If you basically pass out, it would be potentially better than cyanide?

See, this is why I never want to put myself in this situation.

[msmerymac]

Talk about an appropriate name. OceanGate. Like Watergate, etc.

[pinkplasticdoll]

I just read there was multiple fail-safes on the submersible and one of them was sandbags that will turn to solution in the water and would bring the submersible back up BUT it won't breach the water sooo if it was back up then it's just below the surface. Also, that if they are alive the O2 would slowly become heavy and harder to breathe in the vessel due to CO2, body odor etc so uhh ya

[HRH Queen Dick I]

Jun 21, 2023 7:40:18 GMT -5 kath16 said:

this is very far from the point, but in addition to all the reasons already mentioned about NOT doing this... there is only one small window? like, in the absolute best case scenario, you go through all that for $250K to what, take turns looking out the window to see the wreckage?

people have too much money.

Actually not even that. From a NYT piece: *the viewport that lets passengers see outside the craft was only certified to work in depths of up to 1,300 meters.
That is far less than would be necessary for trips to the Titanic, which is nearly 4,000 meters below the ocean’s surface.*

Yeah yeah yeah those poor souls but this is genuinely the most insane thing I've ever heard of someone doing, !voluntarily! and paying for the privilege to boot.

This event should be the example of "more money than sense" in the big book of idioms.

[goldengirlz]

Jun 21, 2023 4:35:06 GMT -5 wise_rita said:

Jun 20, 2023 13:28:29 GMT -5 gretchenindisguise said:

All I keep thinking about is where did they poop while in this contraption?

I have no source because a friend told me, but she said that they were instructed not to eat prior to leaving so nobody would have to poop.

So if they are bobbing around somewhere awaiting death they will be hungry while they wait!

I spent way too much time going on the rabbit hole on this story last night, but that detail comes from an article that interviewed someone who’s actually done this journey with OceanGate before. He said there are sandwiches and water onboard but people are encouraged not to eat because there’s just a rudimentary toilet that’s separated only by a privacy curtain. And my takeaway? As crazy as this story is, these are not the first idiots to do this.

I know the answer to karinothing’s question too — France is sending an underwater exploration robot but it’s not expected to reach the area until Wednesday evening. Which just drives home the point that this little homemade contraption had no business doing this journey at those depths. This isn’t technology that countries just, like, have at the ready.

[sillygoosegirl]

Jun 21, 2023 8:21:53 GMT -5 karinothing said:

I can't think about the banging and just keep thinking it could be anything.

Have they sent an unmanned sub down at all? I heard some theory it could be tangled in wreckage. But I would assume they sent some unmanned sub down there to look around (assuming I guess that one is accessible).

If you are thinking of the ones they used to film Titanic, they were custom made and are in a museum now, presumably not in working order. I saw them a couple years ago. I don't think there are many vessels that can make the trip. I mean, it's a good idea, but I'd be slightly surprised if it was actually possible.

Now if this tour company didn't suck, they would have built some unmanned vehicles capable of the trip, to scope out conditions and try out their technology before sending humans. Plus this situation. But presumably we'd have heard about it if they had them, right?

[karinothing]

Jun 21, 2023 10:20:07 GMT -5 goldengirlz said:

Jun 21, 2023 4:35:06 GMT -5 wise_rita said:

I have no source because a friend told me, but she said that they were instructed not to eat prior to leaving so nobody would have to poop.

So if they are bobbing around somewhere awaiting death they will be hungry while they wait!

I spent way too much time going on the rabbit hole on this story last night, but that detail comes from an article that interviewed someone who’s actually done this journey with OceanGate before. He said there are sandwiches and water onboard but people are encouraged not to eat because there’s just a rudimentary toilet that’s separated only by a privacy curtain. And my takeaway? As crazy as this story is, these are not the first idiots to do this.

I know the answer to karinothing ’s question too — France is sending an underwater exploration robot but it’s not expected to reach the area until Wednesday evening. Which just drives home the point that this little homemade contraption had no business doing this journey. This isn’t technology that countries just, like, have at the ready.

Thank you. I guess in my head I assumed that the companies out there had an unmanned sub waiting to go too. Not for rescue purpose but she research, I guess? I don't know. I thought i read that these big 250K fees often subsidize a lot of actual research that is being done there. Like real scientist work in conjunction with these private tour companies. But I don't really get how this all works. Thanks for the insight too sillygoosegirl. I obviously agree with you! 

The thing that blows my mind the most is the lack of a locator beacon. Even if nothing ever goes wrong why wouldn't the folks at home based on the ship want to track everything.