A newly released audio recording has provided further insight into the catastrophic implosion of the Titan submersible in 2023.
According to USA Today, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released the clip on Tuesday, capturing what officials believe to be the moment the submersible met its tragic fate. The U.S. Coast Guard described the recording as featuring a “suspected acoustic signature” of the incident, where a loud noise is followed by abrupt silence.
Authorities confirmed that the sound was detected by monitoring equipment approximately 900 miles from the implosion site. NOAA, which typically uses these devices to track oceanic sounds—such as those made by large whale species—picked up the noise as part of its routine surveillance.
The Titan submersible vanished on June 18, 2023, while on a deep-sea expedition to explore the wreck of the Titanic. All five passengers on board were killed when the vessel imploded under immense water pressure. The wreckage was later found scattered on the ocean floor, just 330 yards from the Titanic’s remains.
The victims included OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, British billionaire Hamish Harding, French maritime expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet, Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood, and his 19-year-old son, Suleman Dawood.
The U.S. Coast Guard has been conducting an extensive investigation into the incident, holding multiple hearings. Previously released communications from the crew suggested there were no immediate signs of distress before the implosion, with one of the last messages stating, “All is well here.”
A lawsuit filed by one of the victims’ families alleges that the passengers likely endured “terror and agony” in their final moments, possibly hearing the ominous cracking of the sub’s carbon fiber hull before its catastrophic failure.
Authorities are expected to release a final report on the disaster soon, which could provide further details on what led to the tragic event.
