The U.S. Navy utilized a highly classified military acoustic system to identify a potential implosion signal from the Titan submersible last Sunday. The findings were promptly relayed to the Coast Guard to facilitate their search efforts, with the intention of “continuing our mission as a search and rescue and striving to save the lives on board,” as per a high-ranking Navy official’s statement.
The signal’s interception occurred merely hours after the disappearance of the Titan, which was en route to investigate the Titanic wreckage. The Navy was on high alert, listening for any unusual activity shortly after the submersible went silent, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal.
Upon locating the signal near what would later be recognized as the Titan’s debris site on Thursday, the Navy conveyed its findings to the Coast Guard.
While the Navy couldn’t decisively affirm the origin of the sound, the discovery was instrumental in focusing the search for the lost submersible.
“A thorough analysis of acoustic data conducted by the U.S. Navy revealed an abnormality akin to an implosion or explosion around the area where the Titan submersible was believed to be when communications ceased,” stated the senior U.S. Navy official. “Although inconclusive, this information was promptly forwarded to the Incident Commander to aid the ongoing search and rescue operation.”
The Navy has requested anonymity for the system, which is typically used for enemy submarine detection. Post World War II, the U.S. pioneered acoustic systems to track submarines in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
The search for the Titan unfolded approximately 900 miles off the Massachusetts coast. The debris from its wreckage was found about 1,600 feet away from the Titanic’s bow on Thursday, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. The search operation involved vessels from the U.S., France, and Canada.
The Coast Guard is yet to comment on the Navy’s information and its implementation in the search operation.
Officials from the U.S. and Canada reported that rescue teams identified various noise types during the search, one of which was suspected to be the implosion.
Underwater implosions can occur when seawater pressure exceeds that inside a submarine, causing it to crumble.
Searchers also reported hearing noises that could possibly be knocks from the Titan but couldn’t definitively attribute the sounds to the vessel.
The search perimeter expanded to roughly twice the size of Connecticut before it eventually narrowed. The exact reason for the shrinking area remains undisclosed, but a U.S. defense official highlighted the importance of acoustic data analysis in zeroing in on the debris field.
It is anticipated that an investigation will ascertain if the presumed implosion sound originated from the Titan. However, it remains unclear which government entity will be responsible for this investigation.
The defense officials remained tight-lipped about the detected sounds to ensure the ongoing search-and-rescue mission was not disrupted and due to the Navy’s inability to confirm the source of the sound.
The five crew members aboard the Titan are presumed dead, as announced by the Coast Guard and OceanGate, the company responsible for the submersible’s operation.
The families of the crew members were notified of the Navy’s findings when the debris field was located on Thursday.
