Dr.R.Venkatesan CMarTech, F0MTS, FIE, MTech PhD. PGDML, now a Technical Consultant at NCCR Ministry of Earth Sciences Chennai, details the tragic incident in the North Atlantic Ocean, when the submersible Titan was lost in deep sea. This piece of science will enlighten the readers on the probable reasons for the mishap, and also emphasise on the need for assuring the safety of an adventure before blindly plunging into it.
The mini submersible Titan, carrying five wealthy Titanic tourists vanished while attempting to explore the wrecked Titanic ship. The crew of five – a British billionaire, one of the richest men in Pakistan and his son, a famous French explorer and the CEO of the company running the dive, went silent at 13,000 ft under the sea, beside the Titanic, off the coast of Canada. The cost per passenger was $250,000 (Rs.2 crore). The team set off with great enthusiasm on a Sunday with a supply of 96-hour bottled oxygen supply.
The deep-sea mishap:
Canada and the US conducted the rescue operations. According to the U.S Coast Guard, the submersible would have suffered a catastrophic implosion (opposite of explosion), resulting in the loss of all lives on board.
Submarine is used by the Navy and a Submersible is used for research exploration activities in the deep sea. These submersibles are made of Titanium alloy. However, in an innovative way, ‘Titan’ was primarily constructed of lightweight carbon fibre composite which is a light weight, high strength aircraft material. This Titan sub was nine feet wide and 8 feet tall, like a small bus. There were two titanium caps secured; one thick cap formed the transparent porthole. The crew had to sit on the floor, no seats provided; there was one toilet. There were no windows except the porthole through which passengers viewed the Titanic.
As you go deeper and deeper underwater pressure increases. The remains of the Titanic shipwreck on the seabed is at a depth of about 4,000 metres. So the pressure would be 400 bar (400 times more than what we breathe). The human body is not designed to withstand such a high increase in hydrostatic pressure. The safe limit for recreational diving is only 40 metres. You can imagine the pressure level at 4000 metres. (Only two marine animals, sperm whale and bottlenose whale routinely travel from surface to great depth. Their physiology is adapted to intense pressure).
The “catastrophic pressure implosion” killed all five passengers aboard the Titan submersible, said the U.S. Coast Guard. The intensity level of Implosion, caused by intense pressure, can be to the extent of 10 cases of dynamite getting exploded.
Former employees of the American company Ocean Gate, which owns the Titan, had expressed concern on the design of the Titan. James Cameron, the Director of the Titanic movie, who has dived 33 times in deep sea, had criticised the safety of the vessel.
The probable reasons for failure of Titan could be material selection, construction, lack of inspection, ignoring safety and valid certification, etc. In the name of adventure, five lives are lost.
Thirukkural speaks explicitly on the importance of maintenance and prevention of mishaps:
வருமுன்னர்க் காவாதான் வாழ்க்கை எரிமுன்னர்
வைத்தூறு போலக் கெடும்.
Dr.R.Venkatesan was a Senior Scientist at NIOT (National Institute of Ocean Technology). He is a resident of Thiruvanmiyur, and can be contacted at [email protected].
