Timeline of Events: The Titan Lost in a Dive to Titanic Wreckage

A daring expedition to explore the depths of the legendary Titanic turned into a harrowing survival battle for the crew of the Titan submarine. Owned by OceanGate Expeditions, the submersible embarked on a dive to the Titanic wreckage site on the morning of June 18, carrying a five-person crew. However, approximately an hour and 45 minutes into the dive, the crew lost contact with the sub.

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The Titan was submerged in the North Atlantic, about 900 miles east of Cape Cod, in an area with a depth of approximately 13,000 feet. This depth closely mirrors that of the Titanic wreck itself, adding to the gravity of the situation.

Among the individuals aboard the submersible were Hamish Harding, a 59-year-old British billionaire, entrepreneur, and explorer, along with British-Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his son, Suleman. French explorer Paul-Henri Nargeolet, who had extensive experience diving to explore the Titanic, and Stockton Rush, the CEO of OceanGate Expeditions, serving as the pilot, completed the crew.

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The tragic turn of events unfolded during what was intended to be a 10-hour expedition to delve into the depths of the iconic Titanic shipwreck. After a week-long international search effort, the devastating news of the vessel's implosion reached the world. Thursday, June 22, marked the conclusion of the exhaustive week-long search for the missing Titan submersible. The U.S. Coast Guard and OceanGate confirmed the heartbreaking loss of all five passengers on board.

To shed light on the timeline of events surrounding this tragic incident, here are the key moments:

The Unfolding

June 18, Sunday

8:00 am ET (5:30 pm IST): Titan embarked on a two-hour descent to the Titanic wreckage, reaching a depth of 3,810 meters (12,500 feet).

9:45 am ET (7:15 pm IST): Contact between the submersible and the surface vessel was lost.

3:00 pm ET (12:30 am IST): Titan was scheduled to return but failed to appear.

5:40 pm ET (3:10 am IST): The U.S. Coast Guard received notification of an overdue submersible, originating from the research vessel Polar Prince, situated about 900 nautical miles east of Cape Cod.

The Search

June 19, Monday

U.S. and Canadian ships and planes initiated search operations in the area. Sonobuoys, capable of monitoring sound at significant depths, were deployed in hopes of detecting any signs of the missing craft.

June 20, Tuesday

- France committed its support to the search effort by dispatching the ship Atalante, equipped with a deep-sea diving vessel.

- The gravity of the situation became apparent when OceanGate Expeditions revealed that the Titan possessed a 96-hour oxygen supply in case of emergencies.

- Reports of banging sounds detected underwater for several hours ignited hope among search teams.

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June 21, Wednesday

- The U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Navy, Canadian Coast Guard, and OceanGate Expeditions established a unified command to oversee the search operations. The French vessel Atalante joined the effort later in the evening, bringing the total number of vessels involved to at least 10.

- Officials estimated that the submersible's breathable air supply would be depleted around 7:08 am ET (4:38 pm IST).

At 2:00 am ET (11:30 am IST): The U.S. Coast Guard confirmed that underwater banging noises were detected at 30-minute intervals by a Canadian P-3 aircraft. However, the subsequent search yielded no positive results.

June 22, Thursday:

6:00 am ET (3:30 pm IST): This marked the approximate deadline for when the air supply within the submersible was expected to run out, based on the U.S. Coast Guard's estimate that the Titan could sustain up to 96 hours from the time of sealing.

8:00 am ET (5:30 pm IST): Two remotely operated vehicles were deployed as part of the search effort. However, experts cautioned that the submersible's precise location remained uncertain, and locating it could require weeks of intensive surveying.

Discovery of Debris

11:48 am ET (9:18 pm IST): The U.S. Coast Guard announced the discovery of a debris field resembling the submersible within the designated search area. A remotely operated vehicle (ROV) located the wreckage near the Titanic site.

3:00 pm ET (12:30 am IST): The debris field was identified as consistent with a catastrophic implosion of the vessel.

4:30 pm ET (1:30 am IST): The U.S. Coast Guard confirmed that the five crew members aboard the Titan were likely killed instantly in the catastrophic implosion. Recovered fragments included the Titan's tail cone and two sections of the pressure hull. A large debris field containing five significant pieces of the vessel was observed by the ROV scouring the seabed, approximately 400 miles south of St. John's, Newfoundland, near the Titanic wreck site.