An expedition to the wreck of the RMS Titanic has revealed new details in 8k footage.
The RMS Titanic was a White Star Line British passenger ship, which sank in the North Atlantic Ocean on the 15th of April in 1912, after striking an iceberg during her maiden voyage from Southampton, UK, to New York City, United States.
She was the largest ship afloat at the time she entered service and the second of three Olympic-class ocean liners operated by the White Star Line.
The ship was equipped with 16 lifeboat davits, each capable of lowering three lifeboats, for a total of 48 boats; she carried only 20 lifeboats, four of which were collapsible and proved hard to launch while she was sinking. Of the estimated 2,224 passengers and crew aboard, more than 1,500 died.
The 8k footage was filmed by the 2022 Titanic Expedition, a project by OceanGate Expeditions. The footage provides scenes of Titanic’s renowned bow, the portside anchor, hull number one, an enormous anchor chain (each link weighs approximately 200 pounds or nearly 91 kilograms), the number one cargo hold, and solid bronze capstans.
Also captured is dramatic evidence of decay where some of the Titanic’s rail has collapsed and fallen away from the ship and details of the anchor maker, Noah Hingley & Sons Ltd, on the portside anchor.
The footage also shows one of the single-ended boilers that fell to the ocean’s floor when the Titanic broke into two. Notably, it was one of the single-ended boilers that was first spotted when the wreck of the Titanic was identified back in 1985.
“The amazing detail in the 8k footage will help our team of scientists and maritime archaeologists characterise the decay of the Titanic more precisely as we capture new footage in 2023 and beyond. Capturing this 8K footage will allow us to zoom in and still have 4K quality which is key for large screen and immersive video projects. Even more remarkable are the phenomenal colours in this footage,” says Stockton Rush, President, OceanGate Expeditions.
“In comparing footage and images from 2021, we do see slight changes in certain areas of the wreck. Our science team will be reviewing the 8k, 4k, and other footage captured during the 2022 Titanic Expedition for any changes. Having experts aboard the Titan submersible when we dive allows them to assess the shipwreck through direct observation, guide our exploration of different features of the wreck, and continue their study using the imagery,” continues Rush.
The footage is expected to assist in determining the rate of decay for the Titanic as future expeditions capture new footage that can be compared year-after-year. With the help of scientists, the video will also support identification of species that are observed on and around the Titanic and archaeologists will be able to document elements of the wreck and debris field in greater detail.
Header Image Credit : Shutterstock
