Ever since it was announced that the OceanGate Titan submersible imploded, killing all five members of the crew on board, some have wondered what exactly an implosion of that nature would be like.
For better or worse, a number of people on TikTok have created their own simulations and examples of what the implosion was like. For those who are interested, the videos offer a bleak insight into what happened at the bottom of the sea.
Nearly all of the videos point out that if there are passengers on board during such an event, it's likely they would not even have time to register that the implosion was happening before they died. This could be a comfort to those who lost loved ones on board the Titan submersible, as it's likely they did not suffer.
One clip from @starfieldstudio shows the reimagined OceanGate submersible descending before it begins to fall apart inward, much like a can of soda might. This calls to mind the words of NBC News reporter Armin Cate, who explained, "From my understanding, the submersible imploded. In other words, the force of the water was so strong that it blew the back and the front of the submersible off.
"When you crush that tube in the middle it’s like crushing a can of Coca-Cola you might say."
More from LittleThings: Everything We Know About The People On Board The Missing Titanic Submersible
The video reads, "The hull would immediately heat the air in the sub to around the surface of the sun’s temperature, as a wall of metal and seawater smashed one end of the boat to the other, all in around 30 milliseconds."
In another video by @sincerelybootz, the creator explains, "So this is essentially what happens when a submarine implodes. It's very instantaneous as far as death when it comes to any lives that may be onboard."
It has been reported that OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, who died on the trip, had previously ignored or dismissed concerns about the safety of the submersible. Deep sea expert Rob McCallum has shared emails that he exchanged with Stockton. In one, he writes, "I think you are potentially placing yourself and your clients in a dangerous dynamic. In your race to [the] Titanic you are mirroring that famous catch cry: ‘She is unsinkable.’"
He added, "I implore you to take every care in your testing and sea trials and to be very, very conservative."
Stockton replied, "We have heard the baseless cries of ‘you are going to kill someone’ way too often. I take this as a serious personal insult."
The US Navy has since revealed that the service heard a sound consistent with an implosion shortly after the submersible lost communication. This was reported to the team at OceanGate, but it was determined that the best course of action was to search for the crew and to "make every effort to save the lives on board."
It has also been reported that the submersible may not have been operating according to international regulations and rules. The Guardian reports, "The vessel was not registered with international agencies, nor was it classified by a maritime industry group that sets basic engineering standards. Its operators OceanGate have said this is because they believed Titan’s design was so innovative it would take years for inspectors to understand it."
American investor Jay Bloom has revealed that he and his son almost took the spots that went to Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman Dawood. In his exchange with Stockton, he was told, "I expressed safety concerns and Stockton told me: ‘While there’s obviously risk — it’s way safer than flying in a helicopter or even scuba diving.’
"He was absolutely convinced that it was safer than crossing the street. I am sure he really believed what he was saying. But he was very wrong."
