Titanic missing sub: Implosion could only have been caused by engineering flaw, deep-sea pilot says

The Titanic Wreck: Expert Points to Engineering Flaw as Cause of Submarine Implosion

The recent implosion of a tourist submarine during its survey of the Titanic wreck has been attributed to an engineering flaw, according to Ofer Ketter, a renowned deep-sea pilot and president of SubMerge, a submersible safety company.

“In this case of this extreme, catastrophic implosion, there is only one explanation — and that is an engineering fault,” Ketter said.

Ketter believes that the unconventional material used in the submarine’s hull degraded over time due to repeated trips to the ocean floor, ultimately leading to its collapse.

Unconventional Design and Experimental Approach

The unique design of the submarine, known as the Titan, deviated from the typical materials used in deep-sea submersibles. Ketter criticized the experimental approach taken by OceanGate’s CEO, Stockton Rush, stating that the laws of physics are already well understood.

“That means, from an engineering and operational point of view, we know how to do it; it’s not something that needs to be discovered,” he said.

Ketter emphasized the importance of considering how materials react to repetitive cycles in deep waters when designing a deep submersible. He highlighted the significance of withstanding extreme pressure changes during multiple trips.

Prior Warnings and Criticism

It is worth noting that the flaws of the submersible were known before its implosion, and Stockton Rush’s experimental approach had been consistently criticized by experts. In 2018, the Marine Technology Society expressed concerns in an open letter to OceanGate, warning of potential negative outcomes.

“Our apprehension is that the current experimental approach adopted by OceanGate could result in negative outcomes (from minor to catastrophic) that would have serious consequences for everyone in the industry,” the letter read.

For more information, click here to read the full article from The Washington Examiner.

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