EXPLAINER: All you need to know about the Titanic submersible

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On June 18, a submersible named Titan descended into the Atlantic Ocean to explore the ruins of the historic Titanic ship. Less than two hours into its proposed eight-day journey, the vessel lost touch with its mothership and went missing with all five passengers aboard.

After four days of frantic search with no success, all passengers were confirmed dead. The US coast guard says the cause of death is a “catastrophic implosion”.

How did we get here? What were the five men going to do at the bottom of the ocean? How much did this cost? Did they know there was a possibility they could die? In this. Explainer answers all the frequently asked questions about this global event.

WHAT IS A SUBMERSIBLE?

This submersible was designed to carry up to five people — a pilot and four crew members

A submersible is a vehicle designed to work underwater. Think of it as a small fish-looking car that can be driven underwater. In this particular case, the Titan submersible is a small watercraft that could carry about five people to as far as the bottom of the ocean.

A submersible is slightly different from a submarine in that it has its own oxygen renewal system and does not depend on another vessel for its air and power supply.

They are used for oceanography, ocean exploration, underwater archeology, and maintenance of other underwater equipment. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can also use it for underwater videography.

WHY WERE THEY GOING TO THE OCEAN FLOOR?

Royal Mail Ship Titanic could accommodate 3,320 people on a single trip

The five men involved were going to see the wreckage of the historic ship known globally as Titanic, which sank in Canada over 100 years ago.

Before the Titanic sank in April 1912, it was dubbed “unsinkable”. The 882ft ship took off from Southampton, England, for New York City but never made it to its destination.

Four days into its maiden voyage, Titanic struck an iceberg in the Atlantic Ocean and less than three hours later it sank, taking about 1,500 people into the depths of the sea with it.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the ship was near Newfoundland, Canada, when it sank, just about 400 miles off the coast and most of the Titanic wreckage remains about 563 kilometres off the coast of Newfoundland.

Today, the Titanic sits on the ocean floor, about 12,500 feet — 3.81 kilometres — below sea level. The two broken parts of the ship – the bow and the stern — are over 2,600 feet apart and are surrounded by debris.