The remains of the famous Titanic liner lying at the bottom of the North Atlantic are falling apart. New photos of the underwater expedition show how time and nature are destroying the wreckage of the legendary liner, Komersant ukrainskyi reports citing CNN.
The latest expedition of RMS Titanic Inc., the American company with the rights to salvage the wreckage, found that part of the previously intact railing around the front of the liner’s upper deck had fallen off. The section, about 4.5 metres long, is now just lying on the seabed.
“We are saddened by this loss and the inevitable destruction of the ship and wreckage. Over the next few weeks and months, we will conduct a more thorough analysis of the Titanic’s condition and how it has changed over time,” the company said.
More than two million photographs were taken during the July expedition, which was the ninth since the first visit to the wreck in 1987. Ocean imaging experts, oceanographers, scientists and historians worked together to document the ship’s condition, identify artefacts and areas of risk.
The latest scans and images of #TITANIC reveal many changes to the wrecksite and provide insight into how the great liner is deteriorating. A notable change is the loss of a 15-foot section of railing from the port side bow. pic.twitter.com/HxbLQ2S5R8
In addition to the damaged elements of the ship, the research team discovered several artefacts, including a bronze statue of the Roman goddess Diana. This piece of decor once adorned the Titanic’s first class lounge.
Although the statue was photographed during the 1986 expedition, its exact location remained unknown until recent research.
Scientists from the company plan to continue analysing the wreckage, focusing on documenting changes that occur under the influence of time and ocean conditions.
RMS Titanic Inc. noted that although the complete destruction of the Titanic is inevitable, the situation encourages preserving and documenting everything possible before it is too late.
reports citing CNN.
