A newly surfaced report has revealed that a "top secret US Navy acoustic detection system" managed to pinpoint the implosion of the Titan submersible just hours after the vessel's dive was underway.
The exclusive find by the Wall Street Journal detailed US naval service members started analyzing incoming sounds picked up from the system's underwater microphones seconds after officials were alerted to the lost communication from Titan.
Citing defense officials with knowledge of the naval response, the report notes the mysterious military system managed to detect an implosion-like sound from the direction of Titan's since-outlined debris site.
“The US Navy conducted an analysis of acoustic data and detected an anomaly consistent with an implosion or explosion in the general vicinity of where the Titan submersible was operating when communications were lost,” a senior US Navy official told the outlet.
“While not definitive, this information was immediately shared with the Incident Commander to assist with the ongoing search and rescue mission.”
Defense officials did not offer additional information regarding the system and asked it not be publicly identified over national security concerns; however, it was reported that the system is used to monitor enemy submarines.
The latest development comes hours after the US Coast Guard confirmed the submersible's implosion and indicated that the two debris sites had been outlined by officials. Officials stated Titan's debris was situated some 1,600 feet from the bow of the RMS Titanic in an area that had no debris from the sunken ship.
At present, it remains unknown whether the Titan imploded at the same time officials lost communications with the vessel. Preliminary finds also determined there appeared to be no link between earlier sounds that had been detected at 30-minute intervals.