x
Breaking News
More () »

First voyage to Titanic in 15 years shows wreck's rapid decay

A manned submersible reached the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean earlier this month to survey the 107-year-old wreckage.

The first people to see the Titanic in nearly 15 years say some of the wreck is rapidly decaying because of bacteria and corrosion.

CBS News said metal-eating bacteria and saltwater corrosion have been swallowing up large parts of the ship, including much of the captain's quarters and the liner's grand staterooms.

The international team of deep-sea explorers dove more than 12,000 feet down to reach the Titanic, which rests at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean about 370 miles south of Newfoundland. For the first time, the team captured 4K images and video of the deteriorating vessel.

Titanic historian Parks Stephenson, who was among the submersible crew, called what he saw "shocking."

"The captain's bathtub is a favorite image among Titanic enthusiasts, and that's now gone," Stephenson said.

CBS said Captain Edward Smith's tub went down with the ship, like most of the vessel's seamen. 

Quickly deteriorating are also the staterooms on the ship's starboard side, where the hull is beginning to collapse, Atlantic Productions said in a release about the voyage. The submersible crew also laid a wreath on the wreck and took a moment to honor those lost in 1912.

It may only be a couple of decades before the Titanic has all but vanished, researchers say. All survivors of the shipwreck have died.

The Titanic was the largest ocean liner of its time when it left Southampton, England, on a voyage to New York. It famously hit an iceberg on April 14, 1912. There were 2,200 passengers and crew on board, and more than 1,500 died.

The site of the Titanic wreck was first discovered in 1985 by an American-French team. In 1995, James Cameron visited the wreck and used real-life footage in his film, "Titanic."

In 2012, 100 years after the wreck, the site became protected under UNESCO, which outlaws the destruction, pillage, sale and dispersion of items found at the site.

Related: Man who found the Titanic wants to find Amelia Earhart's plane

What other people are reading right now:

Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. Download the 10News app now.

Have a news tip? Email desk@wtsp.com, or visit our Facebook page or Twitter feed.

Before You Leave, Check This Out