TikTok videos outline exactly what may have caused the submarine to implode

Last night it was announced that debris found belonged to the submersible Titan that had gone missing on a trip down to the Titanic wreckage five days earlier. The US coastguard confirmed that all five passengers onboard were lost after the vessel suffered “a catastrophic loss of cabin pressure”.

Since, tributes have been pouring in globally for the lives lost with loved ones of those who died describing the whole incident as a “nightmare”. Following the confirmation of what had happened to the Titan, people are now wondering exactly how the submersible imploded and what caused it do so. Info-graphical videos have been made and uploaded to TikTok illustrating the events that may have happened resulting in the tragedy.

How did the submarine implode?

Titan lost communication with its mothership around one hour and 45 minutes into its eight hour round trip to the wreck which lies 12,000 feet beneath the sea’s surface.

At these depths, the submersible is exposed to extreme pressure, 300 times more than what is felt on earth. The vessel was made from carbon fibre with OceanGate founder saying this material was chosen due to its “natural buoyancy”.

If the body of carbon fibre submarine was to “fail” in any way, such as receiving a small tear, and lets in water then, as TikTok videos have illustrated, the pressure would be so extreme that the sub and its passengers would be torn apart in a matter of milliseconds.

The US Navy heard a sound consistent with the submarine imploding

On Wednesday, the US Coastguard reported picking up on its solar radar knocking sounds at 30 minute intervals, suggesting that this may be coming from survivors onboard.

John Carlton a Professor of marine engineering at City, University of London told The Tab: “Faint knocking noises [presumably made by survivors] have been reported by one of the search authorities. In submarine crashes this has also been reported in similar circumstances when there is still life on-board [if the ship had imploded, there would be no survivors].”

However, since confirmation of the fate of the submersible, the US Navy said that on Sunday it picked up a sound that was consistent with the submarine imploding.

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