A year after the Titan sub-exploration resulted in the deaths of its five-member crew, an OceanGate co-founder, has revealed plans to dive into the 600-feet-deep Dean's Blue Hole.
He revealed that, along with two others, he will be exploring the uncharted depths of this deep sinkhole in the Bahamas.
Journey to 600-Feet-Deep Dean's Blue Hole
Though the region has been previously explored by divers, Guillermo Söhnlein's Blue Marble, which is behind the recent announcement, will serve as the first to hold a crewed submersible trip to the depths of this terrain. The crew would reportedly be in complete darkness when they embark on such a journey.
This expedition is set to be done in order to scientifically survey the area to find unique history, possible new species, and the geological climate history of the hole.
Dean's Blue Hole is considered the second-deepest sinkhole in the world. Its formation dates back roughly 15,000 years ago, while it stretches 663 feet deep into the waters.
On three sides, a natural rock amphitheater surrounds the hole. This natural area garners over 200,000 visitors every year. It has also garnered the highest fatality rates among divers all over the world.
Estimations reveal that 130 to 200 individuals have died after taking the plunge into the sinkhole.
Söhnlein will be joined by Scott Parazynski, a former astronaut from NASA, and Kenny Broad, a scientist.
Previously, Broad tried to explore the sinkhole in 2015. However, he nearly lost his life as he tried doing so, though this was during a free dive.
Nevertheless, Blue Marble has revealed that by taking a deeper look into this mysterious blue hole, they want to uncover new knowledge regarding the ancient climate of the Earth, marine ecosystems, and potentially new species.
The exact submersible type to be used still remains uncertain. However, it will likely be a vehicle that can sustain incredible pressure.
One of the main challenges that the team would have to face would be the intense pressure on the seafloor, which would be roughly 20 times stronger than that on the surface. This strong pressure is what led to the imploding of the Titan submersible one year ago.
One Year After Titan Sub Tragedy
The exact commencement of the exploration has not yet been confirmed. However, the announcement came a year after the Titan sub-ultrapure that killed all of its crew members.
The material used on the sub was thought to have gotten weak due to the building of pressure on the submersible. This led to its imploding.
Surface crews ended up losing communication with the sub roughly one hour and 45 minutes into the dive towards the Titanic wreck. Until now, investigations regarding the catastrophe still continue.
As for this latest expedition plan, the OceanGate co-founder revealed that he had always planned to explore Dean's Blue Hole, noting that the Titan sub-terrorism did not affect his plans.
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