WATCH: What happens when a submarine hits “crush depth”?

The biggest news story of 2023 so far has been the search for the Titan submarine. On Thursday, 22 June it was reported that all five passengers died after the vessel suffered a catastrophic implosion, according to AP.

Debris of the 6.7 metre-long vessel was found by the US Coast Guard who along with other agencies had been searching for the vessel went it went missing on Sunday, 18 June.

ALSO READ: Cameron sees similarities between submersible incident and Titanic

THE TITAN SUBMARINE WAS OPERATED AND OWNED BY OCEANGATE

The vessel was on its way to the wreckage of the infamous Titanic that sank in the North Atlantic Ocean on 15 April 1912 after striking an iceberg.

According to Canada’s Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia the Titan was reported overdue around 700 kilometres south of St. John’s, Newfoundland.

ALSO READ: Too soon? OceanGate dragged over Titanic Sub pilot job ad [photo]

The sub lost communication with the support vessel after two hours into its descent. It was confirmed by the US Navy that it had heard an implosion around the time the Titan reportedly was no longer responding to calls from its support vessel.

ALSO READ: Did this FB users predict the Titanic sub tragedy? [photos]

The five people onboard were killed instantly due to the extreme water pressure in the deep North Atlantic on the vessel that weighed over 10 tons.

According to AP, the water pressure at the site of the Titanic in the North Atlantic ocean is more or less 400 atmospheres or 6000 pounds per square inch.

ALSO READ: Titanic submarine: Billionaire Hamish Harding’s stepson speaks out

YouTube channel Fleet Files has an informative video of what happen when a submarine hits crush depth.

They said: “The depths of the ocean are a mysterious, unknown place. Shrouded in darkness and pressure, it’s not an environment that many dare to explore. But what happens when a submarine is pushed beyond its normal operating limits? When a submarine reaches its crush depth, the consequences can be catastrophic.

“Today, we take a look at what occurs when a submarine reaches its crush depth, how such an event can change the course of history for people on board, and what happened to the US Navy submarine USS Thresher. Let’s dive in.”

Tickets on the Titan cost $250 000 each.