When it was announced on Thursday that debris had been found in the search for the Titan submersible, it extinguished any lingering hope that the five men on board could be rescued.
But the realisation that the craft almost certainly experienced a catastrophic failure on its mission to view the wreck of the Titanic, located 3,800 metres below the surface of the North Atlantic Ocean, raised as many questions as it answered.
In particular, what caused this vessel to apparently implode, likely killing everyone instantly? And should the company that owned the vessel have sent paying passengers to the ocean’s depths in a craft that did not appear to have been subject to rigorous independent testing?
The tube was an issue. That puts a lot of stress on the tube part made of carbon fibre
Jasper Graham-Jones,
University of Plymouth
That the wreckage of Titan was found a few days after it went missing on Sunday is an achievement in itself, considering that several missions, albeit using less modern equipment and searching over a larger area, failed to find the Titanic itself before the wreck was located in 1985.
“You have to imagine you’re looking through black night through unknown terrain with a flashlight,” said Ralf Bachmayer, professor of marine environmental technology and deep-sea engineering at the University of Bremen, Germany.
“There’s no light. That makes it very difficult even with cameras. You could be right next to something and you don’t see it.”
Extreme depths
Sonar, which involves sending out sound waves that create an echo when they bounce off objects, was used, but distinguishing between any signals created by Titan from those generated by other objects was a tough task
“You have difficult terrain,” Mr Bachmayer said, with “canyons” in the area and the wreckage from the Titanic as well.
“What’s new, what’s different? … That makes it so incredibly difficult to find something on the sea floor. It’s a vast space if you don’t know where to search.”
He said the arrival at the scene of remotely operated vehicles, or ROVs, capable of descending to extreme depths, was key to finding the Titan wreckage.
One of the submersibles, Victor 6000 can go to depths of 6,000 metres and has a power cable connected to its mother ship.
“These ROVs are so extremely useful because they have almost unlimited power and they can light up significantly more than this submersible [Titan] was able to,” Mr Bachmayer said.
Design flaws
As is typical of craft sent to such depths, Titan was not an off-the-shelf submersible but a unique design that, in this case, combined a carbon fibre main compartment with titanium.
Five main pieces of wreckage have been discovered, the US Coast Guard reported, including part of the pressure chamber and the nose cone.
Titan had made many journeys down to the wreck, causing several rounds of compression and decompression that would have placed immense strain on the structure.
“How does it respond over time to cycling back to the surface and to underwater depths? Any existing small defect might get worse over time,” said Mr Bachmayer.
Many submersibles are spherical, as this shape spreads pressure equally, but Titan was elongated, which meant that some areas were under greater stress than others.
“The tube was an issue. That puts a lot of stress on the tube part made of carbon fibre,” said Jasper Graham-Jones, associate professor in mechanical and marine engineering at the University of Plymouth in the UK.
“This is particularly strong, but it does have the issue that it can produce small delamination. You can have small stress cracks [when] going down to great depths.
“Every time you use it you could produce small cracks. These could lead to catastrophic failure … The problem with composites is that you can have cracks within the structure that are not necessarily seen.”
While carbon fibre is used for helicopter blades and aeroplane wings, among other things, Dr Graham-Jones said that he was not aware of another deep-sea submersible made from the material.
“What was interesting was this hull was only five inches thick in the carbon fibre area, which seems to me very thin,” he added.
Additional testing
Issues such as this are why Dr Graham-Jones thinks it is important to have independent certification from a marine classification society, an organisation that maintains independent technical standards.
OceanGate Expeditions, the company that created and operated Titan, decided not to try to secure such certification for the submersible. The company’s chief executive, Stockton Rush, was one of the five killed in the submersible.
While the passengers signed waivers indicating that they accepted the mission was not risk-free, Dr Graham-Jones said it would have been difficult for them to truly appreciate the dangers.
“It just seems so wrong that they signed waivers [to say], ‘Yes, we understand the risks.’ They wouldn’t have understood the risks because I don’t think the company itself understood the risks. This is where you need other people to check the risks,” he said.
US media have reported that in court documents, OceanGate’s former director of marine operations, David Lochridge, raised safety concerns about the submersible and thought that it needed additional testing.
Also, in a 2018 letter from the Marine Technology Society, published online by The New York Times, experts expressed “unanimous concern” about OceanGate’s “experimental” approach in the development of Titan.
They warned that this “could result in negative outcomes (from minor to catastrophic) that would have serious consequences for everyone in the industry”.
Defending OceanGate to the BBC, Guillermo Sohnlein, co-founder of the company, said that Titan had gone through a “rigorous test programme”.
“Everyone keeps equating certification with safety and is ignoring the 14 years of development of the Titan sub,” he said.
Legal action?
That Titan was sent down in international waters means that many of the regulatory frameworks that would affect operations in national waters do not apply. Yet OceanGate may still face legal action, according to lawyers.
“If it can be established that the implosion was caused by inherent defects in the mechanics or engineering of the submarine, the responsible party may be held liable, even if a waiver was signed,” said Timothy E Allen, a lawyer with the US law firm Oberheiden PC.
If the wreckage from Titan is collected and analysed, it may be possible for scientists to map out crack paths, which could indicate the cause of the failure.
While the tragic outcome that befell Titan may cause some to think twice about undertaking similar missions in future, Mr Bachmayer said there were still likely to be willing passengers.
“People that do these kinds of trips are well aware of the risks,” he said. “How they evaluate these risks is different to how I evaluate these risks and probably how you evaluate these risks.
“I don’t think it will change things necessarily, but people will think more about it and the risks they’re willing to take.”
Zayed Sustainability Prize
APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits
Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Storage: 128/256/512GB
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps
Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID
Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight
In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
Herc's Adventures
Developer: Big Ape Productions
Publisher: LucasArts
Console: PlayStation 1 & 5, Sega Saturn
Rating: 4/5
THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
Five%20calorie-packed%20Ramadan%20drinks
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERooh%20Afza%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E100ml%20contains%20414%20calories%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETang%20orange%20drink%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E100ml%20serving%20contains%20300%20calories%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECarob%20beverage%20mix%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E100ml%20serving%20contains%20about%20300%20calories%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EQamar%20Al%20Din%20apricot%20drink%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E100ml%20saving%20contains%2061%20calories%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EVimto%20fruit%20squash%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E100ml%20serving%20contains%2030%20calories%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE rugby in numbers
5 - Year sponsorship deal between Hesco and Jebel Ali Dragons
700 - Dubai Hurricanes had more than 700 playing members last season between their mini and youth, men's and women's teams
Dh600,000 - Dubai Exiles' budget for pitch and court hire next season, for their rugby, netball and cricket teams
Dh1.8m - Dubai Hurricanes' overall budget for next season
Dh2.8m - Dubai Exiles’ overall budget for next season
MATCH INFO
Euro 2020 qualifier
Ukraine 2 (Yaremchuk 06', Yarmolenko 27')
Portugal 1 (Ronaldo 72' pen)
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
Winners
Ballon d’Or (Men’s)
Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain / France)
Ballon d’Or Féminin (Women’s)
Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona / Spain)
Kopa Trophy (Best player under 21 – Men’s)
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona / Spain)
Best Young Women’s Player
Vicky López (Barcelona / Spain)
Yashin Trophy (Best Goalkeeper – Men’s)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City / Italy)
Best Women’s Goalkeeper
Hannah Hampton (England / Aston Villa and Chelsea)
Men’s Coach of the Year
Luis Enrique (Paris Saint-Germain)
Women’s Coach of the Year
Sarina Wiegman (England)
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Results
6.30pm: Maiden Dh165,000 (Dirt) 1,200m
Winner: Barack Beach, Richard Mullen (jockey), Satish Seemar (trainer).
7.05pm: Handicap Dh170,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Way Of Wisdom, Connor Beasley, Satish Seemar.
7.40pm: Maiden Dh165,000 (D) 1,900m
Winner: Woodditton, Connor Beasley, Ahmad bin Harmash.
8.15pm: Handicap Dh185,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Secret Trade, Sandro Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
8.50pm: Handicap Dh185,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Mark Of Approval, Antonio Fresu, Mahmood Hussain.
9.25pm: Handicap Dh165,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Tradesman, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
Recycle Reuse Repurpose
New central waste facility on site at expo Dubai South area to handle estimated 173 tonne of waste generated daily by millions of visitors
Recyclables such as plastic, paper, glass will be collected from bins on the expo site and taken to the new expo Central Waste Facility on site
Organic waste will be processed at the new onsite Central Waste Facility, treated and converted into compost to be re-used to green the expo area
Of 173 tonnes of waste daily, an estimated 39 per cent will be recyclables, 48 per cent organic waste and 13 per cent general waste.
About 147 tonnes will be recycled and converted to new products at another existing facility in Ras Al Khor
Recycling at Ras Al Khor unit:
Plastic items to be converted to plastic bags and recycled
Paper pulp moulded products such as cup carriers, egg trays, seed pots, and food packaging trays
Glass waste into bowls, lights, candle holders, serving trays and coasters
Aim is for 85 per cent of waste from the site to be diverted from landfill
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The years Ramadan fell in May
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Bib%20Gourmand%20restaurants
%3Cp%3EAl%20Khayma%0D%3Cbr%3EBait%20Maryam%0D%3Cbr%3EBrasserie%20Boulud%0D%3Cbr%3EFi'lia%0D%3Cbr%3Efolly%0D%3Cbr%3EGoldfish%0D%3Cbr%3EIbn%20AlBahr%0D%3Cbr%3EIndya%20by%20Vineet%0D%3Cbr%3EKinoya%0D%3Cbr%3ENinive%0D%3Cbr%3EOrfali%20Bros%0D%3Cbr%3EReif%20Japanese%20Kushiyaki%0D%3Cbr%3EShabestan%0D%3Cbr%3ETeible%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
Changing visa rules
For decades the UAE has granted two and three year visas to foreign workers, tied to their current employer. Now that's changing.
Last year, the UAE cabinet also approved providing 10-year visas to foreigners with investments in the UAE of at least Dh10 million, if non-real estate assets account for at least 60 per cent of the total. Investors can bring their spouses and children into the country.
It also approved five-year residency to owners of UAE real estate worth at least 5 million dirhams.
The government also said that leading academics, medical doctors, scientists, engineers and star students would be eligible for similar long-term visas, without the need for financial investments in the country.
The first batch - 20 finalists for the Mohammed bin Rashid Medal for Scientific Distinction.- were awarded in January and more are expected to follow.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
