Video: First-Ever Footage of RMS Titanic's Bow in 8K Shows Wreck's Heavy Deterioration
03:19 GMT 01.09.2022 (Updated: 19:41 GMT 19.10.2022)
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The first-of-its-kind footage offers more precise details of the Titanic's famed bow, the ship's portside anchor, and striking indications of deterioration where a piece of the railing has broken off and collapsed.
Recently released footage is revealing new information about the luxurious ship that sank 110 years ago on the fatal night of April 14, 1912, and a little less than 40 years after the RMS Titanic shipwreck was first discovered.
This Monday, the underwater exploration business OceanGate Expeditions posted an 8K video from its most recent trip to the wreck, which is at the bottom of the North Atlantic Ocean, on YouTube.
The new 8K video, according to the news release, enables researchers to zoom in on specific areas of the wreck while maintaining ultra-high-definition clarity, revealing "phenomenal colors" and previously unseen ship features.
"Early in the video, you can see the crane used for deploying the enormous 15-ton anchor still located on the deck of the shipwreck, and the shackle that was originally attached to the main mast that has now collapsed," PH Nargeolet, a veteran Nautile submersible pilot and Titanic diver, is quoted as saying. "Later in the video, you see three round structures along the inside of the railing. These are the triple fairleads that were used to feed the docking ropes to the bollards on shore to secure the ship to the dock when the Titanic was at port."
One of the most spectacular things seen in this expedition, according to OceanGate Expeditions Titanic expert and seasoned diver Rory Golden, is one of the single-ended boilers that dropped to the ocean floor after the Titanic split in two.
"I had never seen the name of the anchor maker, 'Noah Hingley & Sons Ltd.,' on the portside anchor," Golden said. "I've been studying the wreck for decades, and have completed multiple dives, and I can't recall seeing any other image showing this level of detail."
Stockton Rush, the president of the company, noted that there are minor alterations to the wreck visible in footage and pictures compared to the 2021 expedition. The 8K, 4K, and other footage from the 2022 Titanic Expedition will be examined for any alterations by the science team, Rush said.
“Having experts aboard the Titan submersible when we dive allows them to assess the shipwreck through direct observation, guide our exploration of different features of the wreck, and continue their study using the imagery,” Rush added.
Another video, filmed by the team last year, shows a field of debris around the shipwreck, showing completely untouched utensils and shoes - which once contained the feet of the tragedy's victims.
As scientists noted earlier, the position of the boots on the ocean floor in the area of the Titanic's sinking indicates the places where the bodies of the victims were laid at rest.
Some scientists have previously suggested the wreckage of the Titanic will fully decompose due to the negative impact of metal-eating bacteria by the 2030s. The shipwreck is protected by UNESCO.
After colliding with an iceberg on April 14, 1912, and sinking early on April 15, over 1,500 people perished on board the Titanic. The ship had left Southampton, England, and was on its maiden voyage to New York City.
In 1985, the shipwreck was found for the first time at a depth of 12,415 feet (3,800 meters) and about 690 kilometres south-southeast of the coast of Newfoundland.
Another Titanic expedition, scheduled to set sail in May 2023, is already in the works, according to OceanGate Expeditions, which offers those who wish to book a place in order to see the legendary ship with their own eyes.
