Newly released audio captures the moment the Titan submersible imploded while descending to the Titanic shipwreck, killing all five people on board. The recording, obtained from a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) passive acoustic recorder moored about 900 miles from the site, provides further evidence of the catastrophic failure.
The Titan, operated by OceanGate, suffered an implosion on June 18, 2023, raising serious questions about its unconventional design and lack of independent safety verification.
A subsequent U.S. Coast Guard hearing revealed more than 100 prior issues with the submersible, including a cracked hull, thruster failures, and a detached dome. Witnesses accused OceanGate’s CEO, Stockton Rush—who was among those killed—of ignoring safety concerns and prioritizing profits over passenger security.
Since 2021, the Titan had been conducting yearly expeditions to document the Titanic’s decay, with OceanGate selling seats for $250,000 per person. On its final dive, the submersible lost contact with its support vessel, the Polar Prince, about two hours into its descent. The U.S. Navy detected an acoustic anomaly consistent with an implosion at the time of the last communication.
Four days later, on June 22, the Coast Guard confirmed the discovery of debris from the Titan near the Titanic’s wreckage. Authorities later recovered an intact endcap, additional debris, and presumed human remains from the ocean floor.
An Ohio billionaire is planning a deep sea voyage to explore the remains of the Titanic, despite the implosion that cost the lives of five men last summer.
A spokesman for Larry Connor confirmed that the billionaire is partnering with Patrick Lahey, co-founder and CEO of Triton Submarines, to build a vessel and return to the Titanic in the summer of 2026.
Connor, a real estate investor from Ohio, reportedly wants to build a submarine that can withstand the depths in order to visit the historic Titanic.
He reportedly told Lahey that he wanted to “demonstrate to the world that you guys can do that.”
