Titan sub implosion as quick as ‘turning on the light switch.’ What happened?

Investigators are turning their attention to finding out how a submersible carrying five people to the Titanic wreckage suddenly imploded.

Investigators are turning their attention to finding out how a submersible carrying five people to the Titanic wreckage suddenly imploded.

All hopes for a positive outcome vanished Thursday when the U.S. Coast Guard confirmed it found debris belonging to OceanGate Expedition’s Titan near the famous ocean liner at the bottom of the North Atlantic.

The submersible’s disappearance Sunday set off an international rescue mission that captivated the world’s attention given its link to the Titanic. As well, the five passengers aboard the Titan were reported to have 96 hours of breathable air – an added element that led to the frantic search.

With its unfortunate demise and the death of those on board, investigators are focusing on how the Titan suffered a “catastrophic implosion,” as it was described Thursday by the U.S. Coast Guard.

Here’s what we know so far.

First off, an implosion is a process in which objects are destroyed by collapsing on themselves.

It is the opposite of explosion, which is a rapid expansion in volume associated with an extreme outward release of energy.

“The implosion of the hull means the water pressure was greater than the strength of the material,” said Will Kohnen, president and CEO of submarine manufacturer Hydra Space Group, and chair of the Marine Technology Society’s manned underwater vehicles committee.