Front cover

Workers, St. John’s tried to hide the pieces with a tarp after arriving at the pier in Newfoundland. However, some remains are visible, including the titanium front cover of the cylindrical carbon fiber submarine.

In the center of the hatch was a hole, resembling a metal ring, where the viewing hatch window should have been. The location of the acrylic window itself is unknown, but it is noteworthy that the lifting sling of the crane passes through this hole.

Front cover of the “Titan” submarine / Photo: BBC

There were also questions about the strength of the acrylic porthole under enormous pressure at a depth of 4 kilometers. However, The absence of windows in the photographs taken at St. John’s should not be construed as conclusive.

connecting flanges

Other parts that washed ashore were titanium flanges that looked like metal rings attached to either end of the Titan’s cylindrical carbon fiber body. These flanges must be in contact with the end caps and should be of particular interest to their connection with carbon fiber for investigation by US and Canadian authorities.

Submarine titanium flanges / Photo BBC

Professor Blair Thornton, from the Department of Maritime Autonomy at the University of Southampton, highlighted the importance of investigating the interface between the acrylic window and the titanium end caps, as well as the junction region between the carbon fiber and titanium flanges, in the BBC report. The recovery of both components presents a valuable opportunity to advance the investigation.

A large number of unidentified garbage was loaded into trucks. Perhaps there are parts of the carbon fiber body itself. Investigators will focus on examining these parts for signs of delamination, the separation of the fiber layers, especially at the junctions with the flanges. This type of delamination can occur under extreme pressure.

Equipped compartment

One of the largest items found is the aft equipment compartment, which suffered significant damage when torn from the submarine. A prominent feature of the pod is a protruding rod that functions as an antenna, normally used to communicate with the Iridium satellite telephone network when the submarine surfaced.

Equipment compartment and antenna / Photo BBC

The absence of any communication via this system after the “Titan” dived in the first stage of the search clearly showed that the submarine had not surfaced.

Among the ruins that washed ashore were metal supports that formed the landing frame, used by Titan to support a flat surface such as a workshop or launch barge. These salvaged sections would be attached to titanium end rings.

Coating elements

The white panels seen on the dock were part of the submarine’s outer skin or cladding. These panels concealed the wires and tubing that ran along the outer surface of the carbon-plastic body. Although some refer to these panels as parts of the hull themselves, it should be explained that the actual carbon fiber parts of the submarine’s hull will be thick, rigid and black. In contrast, the white panels bent when lowered onto the truck.

Part of the hull of the submarine / Photo by BBC

Interestingly, there were no containers that could be used to transport human remains among the items found. The US Coast Guard reported that it may now have such materials.

As the wreckage found is subject to careful scrutiny, investigators hope to gather crucial evidence to understand the tragic event that claimed the lives of the crew of the Titan submarine. Analysis of these components will help clarify the conditions that led to the catastrophic explosion and ultimately prevent similar events in the future.