A new mission to the Titanic wreck, an expedition called Titanic Expedition 2024, began on July 12, led by RMS Titanic, Inc.
The goal of the expedition which is using the ship Dino Chouest, is to take detailed photos and maps of the wreck using unmanned, remotely operated vehicles (ROVs).
“We want to see the wreck with a clarity and precision that’s never before been achieved,” said David Gallo, the expedition’s co-leader, to BBC News.
Before leaving from Providence, Rhode Island, the ROVs were equipped with high-resolution cameras and special lights. These will provide very clear images of the wreck and help find artifacts that might be lost. This will guide future missions to recover and preserve these items.
Jessica Sanders, President of RMS Titanic, Inc., said, “The 2024 expedition will not only provide the most advanced and detailed look at the current state of the wreck site and debris field but will also allow us to assess which artefacts may be at risk of being lost forever.”
Evan Kovacs, from Marine Imaging Technologies, added, “Titanic is one of the most studied shipwrecks to date and Marine Imaging Technologies is excited to bring the highest resolution camera systems ever deployed at the site in an effort to bring new insights about the ship to the community.”
The Titanic Expedition 2024 aims to use new technology to study the wreck, understand its history, find at-risk artifacts, protect the area, and inspire future explorers. It will take about 2 to 2.5 hours for the ROV to reach the Titanic.
The team also wants to honour those who died in the Titanic sinking and in last year’s OceanGate incident, which killed five people trying to reach the Titanic, including Paul Henri ‘PH’ Nargeolet, the director of research at RMS Titanic, Inc. They will place a plaque on the seabed in his honour.
Rory Golden, a historian and friend of Nargeolet, said, “It’s tough but the thing about exploration is that there’s an urge and a drive to keep going. And we’re doing that because of that passion PH had for continuous exploration.”
