Tourist submersible missing on visit to Titanic

[Anonymous]

The sub has weights that can be released to allow it to surface.

Either they released the weights and are on the surface or

they released the weights but did not have sufficient buoyancy to surface or

they released the weights and steered into some part of the Titanic and became entangled.

This is the stuff of nightmares.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The sub has weights that can be released to allow it to surface.

Either they released the weights and are on the surface or

they released the weights but did not have sufficient buoyancy to surface or

they released the weights and steered into some part of the Titanic and became entangled.

This is the stuff of nightmares.

Even if they got stuck, what explains the loss of communication?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The sub has weights that can be released to allow it to surface.

Either they released the weights and are on the surface or

they released the weights but did not have sufficient buoyancy to surface or

they released the weights and steered into some part of the Titanic and became entangled.

This is the stuff of nightmares.

Wouldn’t releasing the weights cause the sub to ascend too fast, causing them all to get the bends?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I guess the bottom line unfortunately is that even if they locate it, there isn’t a feasible way to bring the vessel back up or if they devise a way, their oxygen will run out before they can get everything in place to do that. can you imagine sitting in that thing and possibly seeing an unmanned rover float by knowing they found you or at least located you but you’re still likely to die? That’s why I’m hoping they’re dead or already falling asleep. Just end the torture already.

I would assume it would likely take a week or more to coordinate a crane and unmanned submissable to lift it without dropping it

And over 12000 feet of steel cable to lift 20k pounds. I'm guessing that much cable is not just laying around everywhere.

It might be but you need at least 1" wire rope. That's 2 lbs/ft. You need 12,000 ft, so that's 24,000 lbs of rope to lift a 20,000 lb vehicle.

[Anonymous]

When would the oxygen be up? If they're bobbing on the surface, do they still need the oxygen reserves (sorry if this is a dumb q) or can they survive encapsulated for a while?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The sub has weights that can be released to allow it to surface.

Either they released the weights and are on the surface or

they released the weights but did not have sufficient buoyancy to surface or

they released the weights and steered into some part of the Titanic and became entangled.

This is the stuff of nightmares.

Wouldn’t releasing the weights cause the sub to ascend too fast, causing them all to get the bends?

It's pressurized so the bends won't happen. Divers get the bends b/c they are not in a pressurized sub.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I guess the bottom line unfortunately is that even if they locate it, there isn’t a feasible way to bring the vessel back up or if they devise a way, their oxygen will run out before they can get everything in place to do that. can you imagine sitting in that thing and possibly seeing an unmanned rover float by knowing they found you or at least located you but you’re still likely to die? That’s why I’m hoping they’re dead or already falling asleep. Just end the torture already.

I would assume it would likely take a week or more to coordinate a crane and unmanned submissable to lift it without dropping it

And over 12000 feet of steel cable to lift 20k pounds. I'm guessing that much cable is not just laying around everywhere.

It might be but you need at least 1" wire rope. That's 2 lbs/ft. You need 12,000 ft, so that's 24,000 lbs of rope to lift a 20,000 lb vehicle.

Any then you'd need a winch on the surface of the water capable of lifting 50,000 pounds to start the ascent. Maybe that's common on these motherships?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Imagine yourself in a minivan with four other adults in the deep depths of the ocean where you can’t see anything for days and probably are out of provisions and nowhere to use the toilet. You couldn’t pay me enough.

I got stuck (by myself and without a cellphone) in an elevator once for over an hour. That alone was enough to send me into a full blown panic. This sounds unimaginable. I just hope they're taking care of one another and that someone in the group is helping everyone stay as calm as possible until the end. The thought of being the last one alive is also horrifying.

The air quality must be terrible. How can you not panic in that situation with no communication with the outside world?

Panic? There is literally nothing that can be done. I think the reality just settles in your brain.

Or you become psychotic and start hallucinating and begin killing people, and trying to eat off your hands.

These aren’t military people, how mentally sound are they? A 19 year old kid?

+1. Unlike the ill-fated Russian submariners who were able to maintain calm and write notes to their loved ones, I’ll bet there was major panic on this little sub if it didn’t implode or explode.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When would the oxygen be up? If they're bobbing on the surface, do they still need the oxygen reserves (sorry if this is a dumb q) or can they survive encapsulated for a while?

The O2 will run out, such a horrible design flaw. They could die while floating on top of the ocean.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The sub has weights that can be released to allow it to surface.

Either they released the weights and are on the surface or

they released the weights but did not have sufficient buoyancy to surface or

they released the weights and steered into some part of the Titanic and became entangled.

This is the stuff of nightmares.

Even if they got stuck, what explains the loss of communication?

Were they ever able to communicate at 12,000 feet deep?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When would the oxygen be up? If they're bobbing on the surface, do they still need the oxygen reserves (sorry if this is a dumb q) or can they survive encapsulated for a while?

Thanks to the crappy design, they could neither open the craft themselves nor get fresh air into it despite being on the surface.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The sub has weights that can be released to allow it to surface.

Either they released the weights and are on the surface or

they released the weights but did not have sufficient buoyancy to surface or

they released the weights and steered into some part of the Titanic and became entangled.

This is the stuff of nightmares.

Even if they got stuck, what explains the loss of communication?

Were they ever able to communicate at 12,000 feet deep?

Yes, that's how they get their guidance from the mothership.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When would the oxygen be up? If they're bobbing on the surface, do they still need the oxygen reserves (sorry if this is a dumb q) or can they survive encapsulated for a while?

The O2 will run out, such a horrible design flaw. They could die while floating on top of the ocean.

Makes sense though. In order to withstand the pressures at 12,000 foot water depth, you'd want a smooth exterior surface to increase tensile strength. You can't have portholes or doors, as those would be weak points in the design that could fail under pressure. Even external attachment anchor points could compromise the tensile strength of the surface of the hull.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A vehicle the size of a mini-van with a bottle and Ziploc bags for a toilet. Viewing portal tested to 1400 meters’ depth and they were going down 14,000 feet. Controller made from a GameBoy.

The level of delusion involved in boarding this craft is shocking. It’s hard not to see it as a form of suicide.

Hadn’t it made successful trips before? I agree that it was obviously taking on huge risk, but they probably saw it had been done safely before.

Also, in general we trust that something like this won't be allowed to operate without some sufficient oversight. We trust this every time we get on an airplane or buy a new car, or get on a ride at an amusement park. We trust it when we participate in anything that, of course, has risks - but aren't there guardrails in place to prevent some yahoo from simply taking $250k from whoever wants to pay it and sending them 12,500 feet down without some sort of oversight and inspection?

Of course there can always be an accident, something can always go wrong - but is the system built to go wrong? I guess it turns out it is - but I don't think it's crazy for the people who bought their seats on this doomed ride to have believed that this insane company wouldn't have been allowed to do this unless someone without a financial stake in the company thought it was safe. I know this is an extreme case - but I just don't think you can blame the people who participated for not knowing how unregulated this turned out to be. Or accuse them of wanting to die.

This is just so horrific.

And the migrant boat sinking is also horrific. It's sort of the opposite end of the same spectrum. Though I don't know anyone thinks the migrant boats are safe - it's just the people willing to take them are that desperate.

I think this is the huge difference in wrapping my mind around these two events. I understand the risk of the migrants because they are in a disadvantaged position where the gamble may be worth it. I can also envision how a boat sinks.

But with the submersible, my brain is just trying to fathom the extreme darkness and pressure that deep in the ocean. I don’t understand the risk of very well off people wanting to get on something not well regulated. And just to see the titanic on a video monitor anyway. What is the bonus of being that far below the sea, just to say you did it? Seems reckless without much upside.

Completely agree - but wanted to add there is a portal they can look through at one end of the vessel but its small. I saw a photo somewhere of an individual who had done this trip before and the photo was like a selfie with his face and the portal showing the titanic.

A selfie? So they died for social media clout?

the guy in the photo didn't die - his mission was last year?

Sigh. Yes, obviously the guy who took the selfie didn’t die. We were discussing why the hell you (both the former “yous” and the current “yous”) would even be motivated to spend $250K and do something this monumentally stupid to look at the Titanic on a screen inside the craft, and someone else posted that there is a small porthole and a previous occupant took a selfie with the Titanic through it.

All caught up now?

[Anonymous]

I just cannot get over the nerve of the spokesperson for this company standing on land complaining about anything the US military is or is not doing in this situation.

I understand that it’s a liability-mitigation move—everyone involved in this who is left living is going to be sued into oblivion by family members with real assets once the “rescue” phase has ended—but Jesus. We have a military for reasons; this is not one of them.