U.S. Coast Guard Releases Haunting Audio Of Titan Submersible Implosion

The U.S. Coast Guard has released an audio recording that is believed to capture the moment the Titan submersible suffered a catastrophic implosion on June 18, 2023.

The sub, operated by OceanGate Expeditions, was on a mission to explore the Titanic wreck when it was destroyed under immense underwater pressure, killing all five onboard.

The recording was captured by a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) moored passive acoustic device about 900 miles from the implosion site.

It was made public on February 7 as part of an ongoing investigation into the disaster. The brief clip contains a loud noise resembling an underwater explosion or “thunderclap” followed by silence.

The Titan lost contact with its surface vessel about one hour and 45 minutes into its descent. When the sub failed to resurface, a massive international search operation was launched in the remote North Atlantic, several hundred miles southeast of Newfoundland.

A NOAA acoustic recorder, moored ~900 miles from the site, captured the suspected sound of the Titan submersible implosion on June 18, 2023. The U.S. Coast Guard’s Marine Board of Investigation has now released the audio as part of its probe. #Titan pic.twitter.com/GzATh7ubpu

— Mike Schuler (@MikeSchuler) February 12, 2025

Days later, debris from the sub was found near the Titanic wreck, confirming that it had suffered a “catastrophic implosion.”

Authorities later recovered “presumed human remains” near the wreckage, which was later confirmed through DNA testing to belong to the five victims. Those aboard the Titan included OceanGate’s CEO Stockton Rush, British businessman Hamish Harding, French Titanic expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet, Pakistani investor Shahzada Dawood, and his 19-year-old son, Suleman Dawood.

Each passenger had paid $250,000 for the deep-sea voyage.

Investigations into the disaster have pointed out concerning factors about OceanGate. Testimonies from a two-week Coast Guard hearing in September revealed that the Titan had experienced malfunctions in previous dives, including one just days before the implosion.

Experts also warned that the vessel’s experimental carbon fibre hull could weaken over time due to repeated exposure to deep-sea pressure.

Video Credits: WFAA/YouTube

The company has dismissed several warnings about the risks, and its decision to operate without independent safety certifications has led to intense scrutiny over private deep-sea exploration.

Following the implosion, OceanGate suspended all operations in July 2023. The U.S. Coast Guard’s Marine Board of Investigation (MBI) is conducting a detailed inquiry into the incident.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), Canada’s Transportation Safety Board (TSB), the UK’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB), and France’s Marine Accident Investigation Office (BEAmer) are also involved in examining what led to the disaster.

Officials have stated that the investigation is still ongoing and a final report with further findings will be released in the future.

References: CNN, AP News

Source: Maritime Shipping News