Latest news with #ChallengerDeep
Daily Mirror
28-05-2025
- General
- Daily Mirror
'I talked dozens out of lethal Titan sub trip - one refused and now he's dead'
Ahead of the disaster that will be revisited in tonight's chilling BBC documentary 'Implosion: The Titan Sub Disaster on BBC, expedition consultant Rob McCallum tried to warn Stockton Rush he had "huge concerns" about his submersible One of OceanGate 's top former advisors "talked dozens of clients" out of a trip on the infamous Titan submersible - as it was placing passengers at "extreme risk." The tragedy will be explored in tonight's BBC documentary, 'Implosion: The Titan Sub Disaster, and expedition consultant Rob McCallum previously told how he tried to warn OceanGate boss Stockton Rush in email messages that he had "huge concerns" about his sub. Mr McCallum has led dives to the Titanic shipwreck and other deep-sea spots. In each of these dives, the submersible being used had been approved to reach extreme depths having been classified by a marine classification society. OceanGate's Titan submersible had not. Mr McCallum tried to convince OceanGate boss Stockton Rush that he was placing clients at "extreme risk" during now infamous email exchanges - and even talked prospective customers out of getting in the sub. Speaking exclusively to The Mirror, he said: "I had tried to convince Stockton Rush he was placing himself and his clients at extreme risk during email exchanges 2021-2018. Between 2020-23 I talked dozens of clients out of riding in Titan. Only four actually went and sadly, one of them perished (Hamish Harding). Hamish had dived Challenger Deep with us." Full timeline of Titan sub disappearance Sunday, June 18 Titan submerged at 8am local time with five people onboard and a 96-hour oxygen supply. Operator OceanGate Expeditions lost contact with the sub an hour and 45 minutes later. The Titan was due to resurface at 3pm local time and never did. Monday, June 19 US Coast Guard, Canadian Coast Guard and Canadian Armed Forces launch search for missing submersible. Tuesday, June 20 At 7am local time, the search expands as crews are "looking for any signs of surfacing". First reports of "banging" picked up by radar begin to make headlines. Wednesday, June 21 US Coast Guard announced that a Canadian aircraft with sonar capabilities had "detected underwater noises in the search area". Investigations were continuing to find the "origin of the noises", but they had "yielded negative results". Thursday, June 22 At 7am local time, authorities had not found the Titan sub and the 96-hour oxygen supply was forecasted to run out in the morning. By 11.48am, the US Coast Guard tweeted that "a debris field was discovered within the search area by an ROV near the Titanic" and experts were "evaluating the information". At 2.49pm, OceanGate Expeditions issued a statement saying that all five people aboard were believed to be dead. During a press conference shortly after, the US Coast Guard said it found the tail cone of the Titan sub about 1,600 feet from the bow of the wrecked Titanic. Five pieces of the Titan were recovered including the nose cone and pressure hull. The vessel lost contact with its mother ship on June 18, 2023, nearly an hour and a half into its journey carrying five people some 13,000 feet underwater to visit the shipwreck of the Titanic site. The expert said he had "huge concerns" over the safety of the vehicle which was never classified or approved by maritime safety. An investigation into the implosion is due to deliver its findings in the next couple of weeks. Mr McCallum added: "Primarily my huge concerns about safety. I would NEVER put clients in an unclassed vehicle, and because Titan was constructed of composite materials it was never going to be classed. That is a show-stopper." Two years since the catastrophic implosion which killed Stockton Rush, 61, Hamish Harding, 58, Pakistani tycoon, Shahzada Dawood, 48, and his son Suleman Dawood, 19, and French Titanic expert Paul-Henry Nargeolet, 77, clients have been getting in contact with Mr McCallum to thank him for telling them to avoid the submarine. He added: "A dozen or so (clients) in the weeks after the implosion and now a few more as the anniversary approaches (have approached him). For folks that were thinking of going in Titan, they are grateful for the advice that persuaded them not to." Despite the catastrophic implosion, Mr McCallum believes the submarine industry is safe and that OceanGate was an "outlier" that "went to great lengths" to avoid industry standards. "I think most people can see that Oceangate was an outlier entity operating outside of the industry norms….and in fact they went to great lengths to work around all of the industry standards" he said. "The Titan implosion demonstrated that the penalties for circumventing sound engineering principles and ignoring safety standards is a terrible one."
IOL News
25-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- IOL News
So you think you're smart, hey? Prove it!
Questions 1 Who is South Africa's richest person? 2 How many in a baker's dozen? 3 Which rugby team won the 2024 Currie Cup? 4 How many cricketers in a team? 5 Who is Donald Trump's current vice-president? 6 What is the most popular spice in the world? 7 At what temperature does water boil? 8 Name falafel's the main ingredient. 9 Which spice comes from the Crocus flower and is one of the most expensive spices? 10 What is South Africa's national flower? 11 What is the highest form of law in SA? 12 When it's spring in the southern hemisphere, what is it in the northern hemisphere? 13 What is the fastest running bird in the world? 14 How many stomachs does it have? 15 How many times does a heart beat over the course of an average human lifespan? 16 How many teaspoons are in a tablespoon? 17 What fruit has the most Vitamin C? 18 In what country did the rose originate? 19 What is Challenger Deep? 20 What is the deadliest creature in the world?
NDTV
22-05-2025
- Science
- NDTV
5 Strange Ocean Sites Around The World That Remain A Mystery
The ocean might look calm and peaceful on the surface, but there is much more beneath than meets the eye. Just like the saying goes, never judge a book by its cover; the oceans hide a world full of secrets beneath their quiet exterior. Scientists are still discovering new species, strange formations and unexplained phenomena that challenge what we thought we knew. If you're also intrigued by the world of oceans, you've come to the right place. Below, we'll be sharing five strange ocean sites that remain a mystery to this day. Read on! Here Are 5 Most Mysterious Places In The Oceans: 1. Bermuda Triangle The Bermuda Triangle is the first thing that comes to mind when we think of ocean mysteries. Located in the North Atlantic Ocean, this site has puzzled researchers for many years. Here, several ships and aircraft have vanished, with no trace of where they went. 2. Mariana Trench The Mariana Trench is located in the Pacific Ocean and is the deepest trench on Earth, with a depth of up to 10,994 metres. Its deepest point, known as the Challenger Deep, remains a mystery due to its extreme depth. The pressure and darkness at the bottom make exploration incredibly difficult. 3. Sargasso Sea Another mysterious site is the Sargasso Sea in the North Atlantic Ocean. Its waters are calm yet unpredictable, and it is famous for the vast mats of unique seaweed called Sargassum that float on its surface. This strange combination creates a habitat unlike any other. 4. Baltic Sea Anomaly The Baltic Sea anomaly is an unusual underwater formation unlike anything you'd expect to find on the sea floor. As per sonar images, an object with puzzling features has been discovered, sparking numerous theories about its mysterious origins. Photo Credit: Pexels 5. The Great Blue Hole The mystery of the Great Blue Hole lies in its unique underwater environment. Researchers are intrigued by the strange changes in water conditions at different depths, such as sudden shifts in temperature, pressure and visibility.
Telegraph
23-04-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
Women's Six Nations decider: Our experts pick England team to face France
England face France at Allianz Stadium on Saturday in a Women's Six Nations Grand Slam decider. After all the chopping and changing during this year's championship, here are the Red Roses teams Telegraph Sport writers would like to see John Mitchell pick. You can join the debate in the comments section at the bottom. 'Start Aitchison at 12' In a World Cup year, unpredictability is England's buzzword but they must not be tempted to play all their cards too early, which is why I have resisted tinkering with Zoe Aldcroft's position. She continues as part of an all-conquering back row that will benefit from Alex Matthews' big-game experience. I would swap in tighthead titan Sarah Bern for Maud Muir at half-time, given the pair are seamlessly interchangeable. In a Grand Slam decider, tactics trump form so Holly Aitchison dislodges Tatyana Heard at inside centre, adding another kicking threat to complement the more assured choice of Zoe Harrison at fly-half. England's back three speaks for itself. Claudia MacDonald has earned her stripes on the wing but there is no place in the match-day squad for Jess Breach or Emily Scarratt. England's depth is greater than the Challenger Deep. 'Move Aldcroft to lock' Accepted wisdom might suggest that the time for experimentation should be over with a Grand Slam decider against France at Twickenham to cap another encouraging Six Nations campaign, but the bigger picture of a home World Cup demands a few more tweaks and trials. I am extremely curious about whether the exceptional Zoe Aldcroft could revert back to lock to accommodate a mighty back-row trio of Maddie Feaunati, Sadia Kabeya and Alex Matthews. John Mitchell knows a fair bit about assembling funky combinations on the eve of World Cups after teaming up Tom Curry and Sam Underhill back in 2019. Elsewhere, though her versatility would also suit a bench role, Claudia MacDonald deserves to start. Her running style reminds me of Gabin Villière, one of my absolute favourite players, and a half-back partnership of Lucy Packer and Zoe Harrison will feed the flanks. Holly Aitchison is mightily unlucky to return to the bench, and you have individuals as classy as Rosie Galligan, Emily Scarratt and Jess Breach not even making the squad. England are in a remarkable position of strength. 'Experience on the bench' People have lauded Sarah Bern's impact off the bench in this championship but I would like to see the tighthead unleashed from the first minute against France. She can punch holes in the visitors' defence with her powerful carrying game and cause them problems in the scrum. Then Maud Muir can come on around the 50-minute mark and do the same. There are tight calls across the starting team: Rosie Galligan just pips Morwenna Talling in the second row and I have opted for Amy Cokayne at hooker as I feel she has a slight edge over Lark Atkin-Davies as a carrier. Given the magnitude of the match, I think experience is needed on the bench should the ship need to be steadied late on, so centurions Marlie Packer and Emily Scarratt make the 23.
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
China's 'Deep Sea Space Station' Will Be 6,500ft Underwater
The world's oceans, covering 70 percent of the earth, are vast, ominous, and largely unexplored. According to a June, 2024 report from NOAA, only 26.1 percent of the ocean floor has been mapped. That's staggeringly low; that's like looking at a photo of a person, trying to see a clear picture of their face, and only getting an ear, or an eyeball. If it were a dating app, you'd undoubtedly swipe left. But China recently announced a project aimed at exploring the unexplored, getting a clearer picture of the ocean's mysteries. And they're doing so by going straight to the source – 2,000 meters (6,561 feet) beneath the surface. Still, that's only about half the depth of the sunken remains of the Titanic (12,500 feet off eastern Canada). But hey, it's a full-on research station down there. Per Oceanographic Magazine, the station, which will be located in the South China Sea, 'is expected to be completed by 2030 with the ability to accommodate up to six scientists at a time who will inhabit the 'deep sea space station' for up to a month at a time. 'It has been reported that the primary focus of the facility will be the study of 'cold seep' ecosystems in the area. These are unique environments that have previously been found to be teeming with life as well as home to vast deposits of methane hydrates, a resource earmarked for its potential source of energy.'Details surrounding what this facility will look like are scarce. But sci-fi fantasies abound…hence the video above. And just for reference, what's the deepest that humans have ever gone in the ocean? That happened back in 2020, when a crew aboard the Challenger Deep vessel sunk down the Mariana Trench in the Pacific (the deepest point in all the oceans, at least that we know) and reached 10,927 meters – that's 35,849 feet, or 6.7 miles. What will the Chinese find down there? TBD.
