I suspect most of us have felt for days that there’d be no happy ending here.
I thought the US Coastguard handled their press conference well, and good to see a Royal Navy representation but I was dismayed that the media questions seemed like total cacophony - how little respect they showed with their screams and squeals to try to get a question in.
It must be awful for the families, but I thought this was an extremely sensible comment:
Good work by the US CG - and by the vessel Horizon Artic and the ROV operating from it, from Pelagic Research Services. The ROV was their ODYSSEUS 6K.
The wreckage was where it was expected to be, sadly - below the last know potion. The Titan likely imploded catastrophically, during descent.
Four families sadly, have had their worst fears confirmed today… 
Yes, presumably imploded, the forensic work will now begin, then the allegations will fly.
I think I read that the pressure would have been 4000 tonnes/sq metre and some idiot in the press starts asking about ‘recovering the bodies’.
Agree, the questions being thrown were unforgivably imbecilic and frankly quite pathetic.
The Titanic is at about 3,800 metres - so the pressure is that divided by 10, in bar - so 380 bar - or 5511psi if you prefer.
(this sort of pressure would only be found in hydraulic systems - the max pressure for gas cylinders is 300 bar)
If only as much attention and effort was focused on the migrants who lose their lives in unsafe ships at the hands of criminal gangs. Hundreds are dying all the time, trying to make a better life for themselves. There were 500 deaths off Greece only last week. The hugely wealthy individuals on the sub, who were able to spend £200,000 on a trip that they knew was hugely risky, have had goodness knows what resources used to look for them. Of course it’s sad, but the double standards are breathtaking.
Sadly, 5 rich guys indulging in risky pursuits and coming to grief, are far more ‘newsworthy’ that the 500 deaths off Greece.
It says a lot about our media… 
Hmmm…Playing devil’s advocate, would folks rather no effort was made to try and rescue these very rich people over the last 5 days while there was a chance they were alive?
I have no data but I’m pretty sure the RNLI and HM Coastguard have rescued thousands from the Channel? Not sure about the Greeks…
The criminal gangs are the problem and utter scoundrels in my view (doubt anyone disagrees).
The migration question is polarising and too political to sensibly debate here, though I must admit it crossed my mind that the individuals sadly lost were mostly very financially privileged and were engaged in a potentially pretty risky pursuit. They were ultimately humans and as fragile as most of us would have been in such a situation.
I’d like to think (or maybe wouldn’t) that the media frenzy was due to this being Titanic related but I suspect not.
We have to draw positives and I think that comes down to international collaboration in the hope of a positive outcome even if this was a highly specific operation.
Yes, well said.
I expect the operation will now start to wind down. Perhaps the collaboration may falter when the costs are apportioned…? Most of the vessels involved are commercial, so are likely to look to recover their costs. Will the US, Canadian, French or UK governments all pay up…? Or will OceanGate be the target…?
The documents they had to sign referred to risk of death three times on the first page. It’s not certified as meeting any standards. It’s navigated with a PlayStation controller. Occupants are bolted in from the outside with 17 bolts. It looks like a death trap.
The Titanic is full of bodies, a seabed grave. Why can’t it just be left alone? This thrill seeking by millionaires - submarines, going into space, it’s ridiculous when there are so many better things to be doing.
Heck that’s a good point, I’d not thought of that.
I hope it doesn’t sound crass but this is one instance where a ‘no win, no fee’ type involvement might have been laudable. Altruistic on failure for whatever reason, and recovery of costs plus huge press coverage as benefits were there a successful outcome.
I’d honestly just like to think the commercial companies were being altruistic either way.
I do not believe any bodies have ever been found in or near the Titanic. It is correct that it is a grave, though.
Signs of former Human Life, in or nr Titanic.
I think Pelagic Research Systems (a US company, I think), whose ROV found the debris, will be rather pleased with themselves - albeit in sad circumstances.
I believe it takes seven years for a skeleton to dissolve in the sea.
The inner hull carbon fibre construction was certainly ‘controversial’, and I believe a former employee may have raised legitimate concerns over material quality but I don’t think it’s particularly relevant if the occupants made an informed decision on a risky trip, that’s their choice ultimately however sad, and we don’t honestly know what failed. Space shuttles have failed, in terms of mechanical stresses I’d imagine these were similar just different (pressure vs thermal).
Yes, I tend to agree though admit I was fascinated by a 3d fly through linked by the BBC a few weeks ago created from thousands of separate images (individual images are limited in terms of depth of fiels and area covered). Will try to find the link.
I guess the Titanic disaster was more recent but should we have left pyramids and other archaeological sites untouched?
It was done by Magellan.
Bony skeletons perhaps. The flesh would potentially have been stripped within days/weeks at most surely?
I’m so glad the US Coastguard decided not to get drawn in on aspects of body recovery.
The RMS Titanic sank in 1912.
That’s it - for some reason even very specific BBC searches always fail for me!
