New expedition reveals decay of the historic Titanic shipwreck

Karah Rucker

THE TITANIC MAY HAVE SURVIVED MORE THAN A CENTURY AT THE BOTTOM OF THE OCEAN, BUT TIME IS FINALLY TAKING ITS TOLL.

NEWLY RELEASED PHOTOS SHOW A CHUNK OF THE SHIP’S ICONIC BOW RAILING LAYING ON THE OCEAN FLOOR. 

RMS TITANIC INCorporated., THE AMERICAN COMPANY THAT HOLDS THE SALVAGE RIGHTS TO THE WRECK, RECENTLY FINISHED THEIR NINTH REMOTE IMAGING EXPEDITION.

DURING THIS JULY MISSION, A SIGNIFICANT DISCOVERY WAS MADE. A 15-FOOT SECTION OF THE SHIP’S BOW RAILING, MADE FAMOUS BY THE 1997 MOVIE TITANIC IN THE SCENE WHERE JACK HOLDs ROSE OVER THE FRONT OF THE SHIP, HAS BROKEN AWAY AND NOW RESTS ON THE OCEAN FLOOR.

IN A STATEMENT ON THEIR WEBSITE, RMS TITANIC INC. EXPRESSED SADNESS OVER THIS LOSS. THEY ALSO MENTION EVEN THOUGH TITANIC’S COLLAPSE IS INEVITABLE, THIS EVIDENCE STRENGTHENS THEIR MISSION TO PRESERVE AND DOCUMENT WHAT THEY CAN BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE.

THE REMOTE IMAGING ALSO REVEALED ANOTHER FIND, A BRONZE STATUETTE OF THE ROMAN GODDESS DIANA, KNOWN AS “DIANA OF VERSAILLES (VUR-SAI).” WHEN THE SHIP SANK, THE LOUNGE WAS TORN OPEN, AND THE STATUE ENDED UP IN THE DEBRIS FIELD WHERE IT REMAINED FOR OVER A CENTURY. 

JUST HOURS BEFORE THE END OF this most recent EXPEDITION, THE TEAM MANAGED TO LOCATE AND PHOTOGRAPH DIANA.SHOWCASING INTRICATE DETAILS OF THE STATUTE THAT HADN’T BEEN SEEN IN 112-YEARS. 

THIS LATEST EXPEDITION SERVES AS A REMINDER OF THE ONGOING BATTLE AGAINST TIME AND NATURE TO PRESERVE WHAT REMAINS OF ONE HISTORY’S MOST FAMOUS SHIPWRECKS.

FOR MORE UNBIASED NEWS, I’M KARAH RUCKER.