A search in the abyss: how is the seabed at 4,000 meters deep where the submersible could be

At 3,821 meters under the sea, in the North Atlantic. The Titan submarine was heading to that depth, to the area where the remains of the Titanic rest. A remote and inhospitable place due to the underwater currents, temperatures, light conditions and pressure that are recorded there. A point at which survival becomes almost impossible. That is where many researchers place the OceanGate company submersible.

Among them, José Luis Martín, merchant marine and expert in submarines. His main hypothesis is that the device would have suffered an electrical failure. “In that case, it would have fallen plummeting, because it has no propulsion, to the bottom. Like a stone,” this expert, who was chief engineer of a tourist passenger submarine, explained to NIUS. The Titan would have fallen to the seabed, almost 4,000 meters.

“At that depth, the pressure is brutal, 400 kilograms per square centimeter”. And for the submersible to hold that, it is unfeasible. “The first thing is to assume that it has withstood the impact. It could only have done so if it had landed at low speed. Only then would the submarine not have imploded,” says Martín. “And supposing it has endured, it must be taken into account that it cannot be moved, that the darkness is brutal and thus it is impossible to find it. There is no human technology that can rescue them if they are on the seabed.”

The deep ocean is very dark. Sunlight is quickly absorbed by water and cannot penetrate beyond a few hundred meters. Therefore, at a depth of 3,800 the darkness is total. In fact, the Titanic is in a place known as “the midnight zone”. Some passengers who have descended to the liner highlight the difficulties in finding the sunken ship. Mike Reiss, who traveled with the OceanGate last year, explains it very graphically. “When you hit bottom, you don’t know where you are. We had to wave blindly knowing the Titanic had to be there, but it’s so dark, we spent 90 minutes looking for it.” If that happens with a huge ship like the Titanic, which is stuck on the seabed, what won’t happen with the little Titan. “If it has endured, the mud could be covering it for sure,” says Martín.

Temperatures can be around two degrees. Cold is another very important factor in the fight for survival. “When there is no light, the fear is atrocious. To this must be added a tremendous, horrific cold, and those physical conditions would complicate everything much more. In addition, the submersible is not prepared to carry heating equipment, because they would ‘steal’ electricity from the batteries. They do wear warm clothes, but that’s the only thing they can use to combat the cold,” says José Luis Martín.

Down there, the pressure the submarine has to withstand is extreme. “About 400 kilograms per square centimeter,” Martín points out. “When any equipment is tested on land, it is done by the Shipyards or NASA, it is logically tested with the technology known to human beings. But there is no equipment capable of preparing one of these submarines to withstand that pressure. To achieve this, it would have to to have such a complex design, of such a caliber and with such determined and specific materials, that it is completely unfeasible”.

Las strong currents in the sea they not only affect the surface, but also the depths of the ocean, which are swept by these underwater currents. The remains of the Titanic lie on a seabed affected by a southerly flowing cold water current. This flow “creates” dunes and ripples in the sediment and mud on the seafloor. In fact, there are scientists who believe that over the years, these currents could bury the remains of the Titanic, according to the BBC. It is true that these underwater currents will not have been a safety problem for submersibles like the Titan, but they can further complicate the hypothetical and extremely complicated location of the submersible in case it has fallen to the bottom.

And with all these circumstances, we ask ourselves a question: is it feasible for the search operation to be successful? Most experts are very pessimistic. First, the submersible has to be intact, something that seems highly unlikely. In case you have held on, the oxygen runs out. Experts place the limit at noon on Thursday European time. That without counting that they carried very little water. Also, there is the cold. With all this, Martin sees it “almost impossible”.

The US Coast Guard, which is leading the search, has called it “incredibly complex.” In his last press conference, on Wednesday night, he assured that the team is working “tirelessly”. Captain Jamie Frederick explained that they are looking for “an area twice the size of Connecticut.” and at a depth of almost 4,000 meters.

The first blows were detected on Tuesday by a Canadian P-3 aircraft. This Wednesday also “some noises have been heard”. Every piece of information is being analyzed. The data collected by the Canadian P-3 aircraft has been shared with US Navy experts for further analysis “to be considered in future search plans.”