US Coast Guard releases eerie audio of Titan submersible implosion
What's the story
The United States Coast Guard shared a 20-second audio clip on Friday, purportedly the sound of the Titan submersible's implosion, that it is investigating.
The June 2023 incident, which took place during a dive to explore the Titanic wreckage, tragically took five lives.
The recording includes a haunting whooshing sound, recognized as the "suspected acoustic signature" of this catastrophic event.
Twitter Post
The hair-raising audio
The #TitanMBI releases the suspected acoustic signature of the Titan submersible implosion. Audio recording courtesy of NOAA/NPS Ocean Noise Reference Station Network) https://t.co/h3ySH0PhiA pic.twitter.com/dXC7C1hy4y
— USCG MaritimeCommons (@maritimecommons) February 8, 2025
Recording details
Audio captured 1,448km from implosion site
The audio was captured by a device operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), roughly 1,448km from the implosion site.
The Titan submersible, operated by OceanGate, met its tragic end on June 18, 2023.
Among the deceased were adventurers Hamish Harding and Paul-Henri Nargeolet; father-son duo Shahzada and Suleman Dawood; and pilot Stockton Rush, co-founder of OceanGate.
Investigation progress
Initial search efforts and documentary controversy
In the immediate aftermath of the incident, a Canadian aircraft involved in search operations detected underwater noises. These sounds briefly raised hopes that the passengers might have survived.
However, it was later clarified by the Coast Guard that these noises were unrelated to the Titan, as it had already imploded.
A subsequent documentary featuring audio of supposed knocking near the sub's location also sparked controversy, but officials maintained that such noises were unrelated to its fate.
Company response
Titan's debris found after 4-day search
The Titan's mothership lost contact with the submersible less than two hours into the mission.
After a frantic four-day search for the missing vessel, debris from the crash was located on the ocean floor.
The Coast Guard looking into the deadly accident found that the sub had several structural flaws and safety risks. It also hadn't been reviewed independently, which is standard procedure, before it set off into the ocean.