‘Claustrophobic’ images reveal reality of what it was like in doomed Titan sub before implosion

Images that reveal just how small the Titan submersible was prior to its implosion are doing the rounds online, making people feel incredibly claustrophobic.

The Titan sub lost contact with its surface crew on 18 June 2023, during its attempt to dive down to the wreckage of The Titanic carrying five passengers.

Created by tourism firm OceanGate, the submersible was carrying OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, 61, British billionaire Hamish Harding, 58, Titanic expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet, 77, British-Pakistani billionaire Shahzada Dawood, 48, and his 19-year-old son Suleman.

Last week, a documentary was released on Channel 5 that covered all aspects of the disaster, titled The Titan Sub Disaster: Minute by Minute.

It was discovered that a banging noise was picked up during the search, creating false hope for those conducting the search, and experts also claimed that passengers on board would have known that it was coming.

KING 5 Seattle/PA

The submersible craft had dimensions of 670 cm x 280 cm x 250 cm, shocking many people over just how small it was.

People took to X, formerly known as Twitter to share their shock, while highlighting that they would never get into something that small.

One user said: "I just can't imagine paying $200k or whatever to spend 10 hours in this thing - which is bolted shut and can only be opened from the outside - with four other people to travel to the bottom of the sea for a quick glimpse of a watery gravesite."

Another commented: "This thing is tiny. Can’t imagine how scary it must be."

While a third added: "I'm not excessively claustrophobic, but a little bit. You'd never get me into that thing."

Consisting of three paying passengers and two crew members, debris of the submersible was eventually found on the seabed of the Atlantic Ocean, confirming a loss of all five lives following a 'catastrophic implosion'.

OceanGate/Becky Kagan Schott

A timeline of the Titan submersible disaster:

The Titan loses contact with support vessel

The Polar Prince loses contact with the Titan around one hour and 45 minutes into its descent on 18 June. A few hours after the submersible was supposed to resurface, the US Coast Guard received a report of an overdue submersible.

Search operation is launched

The US Coast Guard launch a large-scale operation on 19 June, 2023, when the vessel fails to resurface or make contact almost 24 hours on.

'Banging noises' are detected

Two days on from the Titan's disappearance on 21 June, 2023, sonar crews taking part in the search pick up 'banging noises', giving false hope that the passengers are still alive.

The Titan's oxygen supply 'runs out'

At 1pm E.T on 22 June, 2023, the submersible's 96-hour oxygen supply is predicted to have ran out, cementing fears for the crew onboard.

A 'debris field' is discovered, leading to the realisation of a 'catastrophic implosion'

The US Coast Guard confirms the Titan was destroyed by a ‘catastrophic implosion’ - a result of both enormous water pressure and failed materials - with the loss of all five people aboard.

The Titan Sub Disaster: Minute by Minute is now available to stream on My5.