Expert reveals the 'mistakes' that caused the Titanic sub's 'catastrophic implosion'

An expert in marine engineering has spoken on the tragic case of the Titan submersible, explaining what might have caused the craft to implode.

Professor Dr Jasper Graham-Jones of the University of Plymouth suggested a number of different factors that could have caused the catastrophic event.

The Titan submersible imploded during its dive to view the wreckage of the Titanic on the floor of the North Atlantic Ocean last week.

Speaking to The Sun, Graham-Jones said that “off-the-shelf” components could have been to blame – with the viewing window a particular concern.

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"I think the guy who ran this was actually making big mistakes, and was overconfident in his calculations. Cracks would have formed,” he said, speaking about OceanGate CEO, Stockton Rush, who died on the expedition.

"They might not have been seen at first, but they start to become a little bit bigger each time before becoming a critical crack and failing."

CNN

Offering up another theory, Graham-Jones said: "This could have been an electrical catastrophe. It could have been corrosion, it could have been a fire. Any leakage of water coming through to the electrics could lead to failure as well.

"Some of the pipes and parts that lead outside could have begun to leak. If you have a wire going outside, then those wires going through land could actually start to leak. They could have corroded."

Another factor could have been cracks in critical parts of the craft.

“The crack could be brittle, or ductile, and related to fatigue and de-lamination. By scanning under an electron microscope, you can see the fatigue and confirm the speed and direction of the cracks."

"Has there been excessive heating, or corrosion or buckling? Distortion of joints and fittings?”

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