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Surprising images reveal how the Titanic is slowly being destroyed

2024-09-02 07:57:00, Kuriozitete CNA

It was the image that made the wreck of the Titanic instantly recognizable, the bow of the ship emerging from the darkness of the Atlantic depths.

But a new expedition has revealed the effects of slow decay, with large sections of the railings now sunken to the sea floor.

The loss of the handrail, immortalized by Jack and Rose in the film's famous scene, was discovered during a series of dives by underwater robots this summer. The images they captured show how the wreck is changing after more than 100 years at sea.

Surprising images reveal how the Titanic is slowly being destroyed

The ship sank in April 1912 after hitting an iceberg, resulting in the loss of 1,500 lives.

Surprising images reveal how the Titanic is slowly being destroyed

The team believes that part of the railing, which is about 4.5 meters (14.7 feet) long, has fallen in the past two years.

Images and a digital scan from a 2022 expedition by deep-sea mapping company Magellan and documentary makers Atlantic Productions show the railing was still attached, although it had begun to loosen.

It is not the only part of the ship, which lies 3,800 meters deep, that is being lost at sea. The metal structure is being destroyed by microbes, creating rust stalactites called "rusticles".

Previous expeditions have revealed that parts of the Titanic are collapsing. Dives led by explorer Victor Vescovo in 2019 showed that the starboard side of the officer's quarters is collapsing, destroying the staterooms and obliterating features such as the captain's bathroom.

This summer's RMS Titanic Inc expedition took place during July and August.

Surprising images reveal how the Titanic is slowly being destroyed

Two remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) captured more than two million images and 24 hours of high-definition footage of both wrecks.

The company is now scrutinizing the footage to catalog the findings and will eventually create a highly detailed 3D digital scan of the entire drowning site.

Surprising images reveal how the Titanic is slowly being destroyed

More images from the dives will be revealed over the coming months. The team has also announced another discovery of an artifact they hoped to find despite the odds.

Surprising images reveal how the Titanic is slowly being destroyed

In 1986, a bronze statue called Diana of Versailles was seen and photographed by Robert Ballard, who had found the wreckage of the Titanic the year before.

But its location was unknown and the 60 cm tall figure was not documented again. Now, however, it has been uncovered and found lying face up in the sediment in the rubble field.

The statue was once on display for first class passengers on the Titanic.

Surprising images reveal how the Titanic is slowly being destroyed

Over the years, the company has recovered thousands of items from the rubble field, a selection of which have been exhibited around the world.

They plan to return next year to recover more, and the statue of Diana is one of the items they would like to bring to the surface. But some believe the ruin is a burial site that should be left untouched.