Aug. 22 (UPI) — A manned submersible explored the Titanic for the first time in 14 years and took the first 4K images of the wreckage, a production company behind a forthcoming documentary said Wednesday.
The exploration team discovered that sea currents, salt corrosion and metal-eating bacteria have caused deterioration to the ship, which lies about 12,500 under the North Atlantic Ocean. The RMS Titanic sank about 370 miles south of Newfoundland, Canada, after striking an iceberg in 1912.
“The most shocking area of deterioration was the starboard side of the officer’s quarters, where the captain’s quarters were,” said Titanic historian Parks Stephenson, who took part in the dives. “Captain’s bath tub is a favorite image among the Titanic enthusiasts, and that’s now gone. That whole deck hole on that side is collapsing taking with it the staterooms, and the deterioration is going to continue advancing.”
The team made the discoveries during five dives over the course of eight days.
In addition to making videos of the wreckage, the crew created 3D models of the ship using photogrammetry. Atlantic Productions, which is behind the planned documentary, said the 3D visualizations could make it possible to view the wreck using augmented reality and virtual reality.
