The Highest-Resolution Video Of The Ill-Fated Titanic Ever Captured Was Just Released

OceanGate Expeditions shared a video with the world last week that has some of the highest-resolution imagery of the remains of the Titanic that has ever been seen. The footage of the ship, which is 110 years old and lies on the seabed 2.4 miles below the surface of the North Atlantic, was taken in 8K quality. This is almost four times the resolution of the typical 4K ultra-high-definition television displays.

The wreck of the doomed luxury liner was discovered in 1985 less than 400 miles off the coast of Newfoundland, and ever since then, it has been a consistent source of intrigue. The new film, which was captured during a 2022 OceanGate voyage to the Titanic, provides viewers with a peek of the ship in vibrant color, showcasing the ship’s bow, portside anchor, hull, as well as a gigantic anchor chain, according to the Smithsonian.

“We are seeing new details in this footage. For example, I had never seen the name of the anchor maker, Noah Hingley & Sons Ltd., on the portside anchor,” says Rory Golden, an OceanGate Titanic expert and experienced Titanic diver, in a statement. “… One of the most amazing clips 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.”

In 2021, a privately held underwater research business called OceanGate, which had been established in 2009, started providing yearly trips to the ruins of the Titanic.

Citizen comprised “mission specialists” paid a total of $250,000 apiece for the opportunity to participate in the voyage alongside diving professionals, historical researchers, and scientists.

According to Stockton Rush, president of OceanGate, speaking to Amanda Holpuch of the New York Times, this charge is “a fraction of the cost” when compared to the fees associated with space tourism, which may reach tens of millions of dollars.

According to the website of the company, OceanGate’s expeditions not only give participants the opportunity to become one of fewer than 250 people to “personally [view] the Titanic and [its] surrounding debris field,” but they also conduct scientific research on the wreck, according to Smithsonian.

The newly obtained film lends credence to prior rumors that the ill-fated ship, which is most known for sinking during its inaugural trip in April of 1912, is deteriorating with time. According to information provided by Ben Finley of the Associated Press in June 2021, the primary agents responsible for the degradation are metal-eating bacteria and deep-sea currents.

“We’ll have some better data next year, but it definitely is in worse condition this year than it was last,” Stockton Rush, CEO of OceanGate, said while speaking with Alan Boyle from GeekWire. “It’s going through its natural consumption by the ocean.”

Concerns about ethics are raised when the wreck site is disturbed, in particular when objects are taken from the site. This is true for both historians and archaeologists. OceanGate did not make any changes to the wreckage, but other private firms have made changes or have plans to make future changes.

A court decided in May of 2020 that the salvage company RMS Titanic, Inc. (RMST) will be granted permission to retrieve a Marconi telegraph equipment from the Titanic. According to the Guardian, RMST said once again in a court filing in 2021 that the expedition would “take place as soon as reasonably practicable.” This mission was thwarted due to the pandemic as well as the continuous legal disputes.