There has been some discussion by a person affiliated with OceanGate that the hull was in question on inspection. I can only imagine what everyone is going through that are affiliated with these brave people. I wish all those involved the very best in finding the vessel. If this fails over time, it will not be for the trying. The effort is astounding.
There are conflicting currents in the region where the Titan was lost. (chart below - click here) The two currents flow in opposite directions. There is the Labrador Current which flows south and the Gulf Stream that flows north. One is a cold water current flowing south and one is a warm water current flowing north. When cold and warm meet there are interactions within the ocean that aren't necessarily mapped.
Basically, the expedition team saw a break in the weather and decided to move into the area of the ship wreck. There is a lot going on with the ocean in that region of the world right now, including issues with changing dynamics of the "global conveyer belt" (click here).
These waters in the conveyer belt are not surface, but, deep ocean currents. Part of what is playing out is also the rapid ice melt of Greenland. All that fresh water dumping into the North Atlantic where the global conveyer belt originates is causing changes in the ocean itself as well as the deep water currents. To say this operation is complex is an understatement when realizing the NEW AND UNCERTAIN dynamics of quickly melting glaciers.
The Titan is a small vessel that will be effected by strong ocean currents. I think the navigation was not as simple as a straight line to the Titanic. The vessel probably was effect by currents no one expected nor could navigate through.
Earth's oceans are not in a good state right now. There are all kinds of warnings that are sent to ocean going vessels when circumstances change in the ocean, but, when it comes to warning about changes in deep water and surface water currents, there simply isn't that degree of involvement by any governing agency or scientific body. I applaud those that love the ocean and understand the fascination for the ship wreck, however, the idea of accepting danger to be in a submersible when a surface operated submersible will achieve the same thing, especially around such an old ship wreck, is worrisome. The North Atlantic on a good day is dangerous, but, to realize the meltwater running into it now creates a lot of concern for such a small vessel.
An underwater rescue of 13,000 feet has never been attempted before.
20 June 2023
By Graham Russell
Contact with the Titan submersible (click here) was lost 1 hour 45 minutes into its dive on Sunday afternoon, according to the US Coast Guard. Here’s what we know about the vessel and what might have happened....
