The ocean is one of the most terrifying things on earth. Humans have barely explored it (we’ve only collectively seen 5%!) and from what little we’ve explored, we’ve managed to discover the scariest things. While most of us love going to the beach to relax, the same waters have claimed millions of shipwrecks and millions of lives.

For instance, the Internet’s latest obsession — the tragedy that is the OceanGate Titan submersible (although one could argue that human foolishness took a huge part in it). But what other nautical horrors has the world seen? How many other shipwrecks and submarine implosions happened in the past few decades? Here are just some of the worst deep sea tragedies that shocked the world.

OceanGate’s Titan submersible

@heartthrobert Im surprised this submarine didn’t go missing sooner #submarine #oceangate ♬ original sound – Rob Anderson

The tragic tale of Washington-based company OceanGate’s submersible called Titan is the latest nautical horror that has fixated the Internet for almost a week. Last Sunday, the Titan went on a deep-sea expedition to tour the wreck of the RMS Titanic(as if it’s not 12,500 feet underwater) which, if you recall, sank in 1912.

Five people were onboard the tiny submersible that’s a little smaller than a minivan. The headcount includes OceanGate’s founder, Stockton Rush; a billionaire British adventurer named Hamish Harding; the French maritime expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet; and a British Pakistani businessman, Shahzada Dawood, and his 19-year-old son, Suleman.

Each of them reportedly paid a whopping $250k for the once-in-a-lifetime experience that ended in a tragedy.

According to reports, the Titan’s mothership lost contact with it an hour and 45 minutes into the journey. The submersible has enough oxygen for four days, the Internet even counted down the hours with bated breath. Search operations stopped on Thursday when reports said the U.S. Coast Guard found debris from the submersible, near the wreck of the Titanic, which confirms the sub’s implosion.

U.S. Coast Guard confirm all five passengers aboard missing Titan submersible are dead.

They say debris of the Titan submersible have been found near the Titanic. pic.twitter.com/L645wdekeT

— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) June 22, 2023

While the whole world is focused on this tragedy, many are calling it an eye-opener for folks to stop commercializing the Titanic, which has ironically claimed five more lives 111 years after it sank.

Greek migrant boat wreck

The Greek coastguard claimed it didn’t intervene when a boat carrying asylum seekers and refugees capsized last week because those on board refused help, leaving as many as 750 people to drown.

Activists say Greece delayed aid as those on board pleaded for help for 15+ hours. pic.twitter.com/cluAQmP80P

— AJ+ (@ajplus) June 20, 2023

A few days before the world got wind of the missing OceanGate submarine, the “worst tragedy ever” in the Mediterranean Sea occurred. A Greek boat overpacked with migrants sailing from Tobruk, Libya to Italy capsized. While the true toll of the disaster is yet unclear, officials have confirmed that dozens have died, and at least 500 more are missing. It has climbed the list of one of the worst deep-sea tragedies to ever occur.

Many are dismayed that the authorities don’t seem to be doing much to find the missing people, unlike the multi-million-dollar rescue operation launched for the billionaires in the OceanGate sub. “It’s a horrifying and disgusting contrast,” says Judith Sunderland to NBC News. “The willingness to allow certain people to die while every effort is made to save others … it’s a, you know, really dark reflection on humanity.”

USS Thresher

All of this submersible news keeps reminding me of USS Thresher, which sank in a terrifying fashion during its sea trials in 1963.

After salt water piping brazed joints failed, water shorted electrical systems, causing the nuclear reactor to emergency shutdown… (1/4) pic.twitter.com/iooOQD2cPm

— Ethan Moriarty (@EMoriartyWX) June 21, 2023

In 1963, the US Navy nuclear-powered submarine USS Thresher (SSN-593) went missing during a deep-sea dive. Reports say the submarine experienced a power failure causing it to lose control, sink, and collapse from the extreme pressure. It took the lives of all 129 personnel onboard and was later found in six pieces on the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. Although it was a tragic event, it paved the way for advancements in submarine design, construction, and safety procedures.

USS Scorpion

@missilesthunderThe USS Scorpion Submarine Disappearance #shorts♬ nhạc nền – ART AMERICA

Five years after the USS Thresher incident, another US Navy nuclear submarine mysteriously disappeared. The USS Scorpion was on a routine mission when it sank in the Mediterranean Sea killing all of its 99 passengers. After it failed to communicate back to base for several hours, the Navy launched a search, but weeks of no results forced them to presume the submarine was lost.

Five months later, the Navy’s oceanographic research ship Mizar located the wreckage on the seabed under 9,800 feet of water. The exact cause of the sinking is presumed to be a torpedo malfunction, but evidence also suggests that the USS Scorpion was a victim of a Soviet antisubmarine attack.

INS Dakar

The submarines USS Scorpion, Soviet K-129, The French Minerve, and Israeli INS Dakar all went missing in 1968. The last two submarines disappeared only four days apart. The Minerve has still never been found, even though it only disappeared an hour away from its home port. pic.twitter.com/TvMFA3v1Kz

— Conspiratorial Report (@CnsprtrlRprt) June 21, 2023

INS Dakar was another submarine that sank in 1968, claiming the lives of her crew of 69. The diesel-electric Israeli Navy submarine was enroute to Israel when it lost contact on January 24. Despite an international search and rescue operation, officials couldn’t locate Dakar. Finally, they were forced to admit that it sank.

Three decades later, the wreckage was found between Cyprus and Crete at a depth of 9,800 feet. Rescuers salvaged the submarine’s coning tower which, to date, is on display at the Clandestine Immigration and Naval Museum in Haifa.

K-141 Kursk

#inners
A little reminder of Putin’s naval record.
The wreck of K-141 Kursk is Russia’s worst naval disaster. 118 submariners were lost.
President Vladimir Putin only authorised the Russian Navy to accept British and Norwegian assistance after five days had passed. pic.twitter.com/8Wf7HplOj3

— Firecaptain and Jack (@Firecaptain16) April 15, 2022

All 118 crew onboard the K-141 Kursk died when the Russian submarine sank in an accident in August 2000. The submarine was conducting a naval exercise in the Barents Sea and exploded when the crew was preparing to fire dummy torpedoes in an exercise. According to reports, the torpedo leaked high-test peroxide (HTP) which caused a catalytic explosion in the submarine’s compartments. Reports also found that 23 of the 118 passengers survived in the ninth compartment perished after six hours from lack of oxygen.

It took the Russian Navy a few hours to realize something happened to Kursk, 16 hours to locate it, and few more days to open it. But by then, it was obviously too late.

MS Estonia

@titanicfansofficial #msestonia #tragedy #fyp #sinking #viral #ship #foryou ♬ original sound – RMS TITANIC

In 1994, the passenger ferry MS Estonia attempted to travel from Tallinn, Estonia, to Stockholm, Sweden, when it encountered severe weather conditions, including heavy seas and high winds. Investigations found that rushing water from the damaged bow visor flooded the boat and rapidly capsized it. Only 137 passengers of the original 989 people survived. But is there something more to it than a damaged boat?

Survivors reported “feeling” a collision, something that wasn’t in the initial reports. This prompted filmmakers Henrik Evertsson and Bendik Mondal to go and look for new evidence. Their five-part Discovery Network documentary had an interesting discovery — the ship’s hull had a 13-foot hole in it, something that was overlooked in initial reports. Officials concluded that the ship took a big hit below the waterline which explains why it sunk so fast within an hour.

Doña Paz

@karenwanders If you think Titanic is the worst maritime disaster of all time, I’m telling you, MV Doña Paz will break your heart #maritimememory #donapaz #ph #fyp ♬ Hymn to the Sea – Titanic (1997) – White Star Chamber Orchestra And Chorus, Kristi Holden

Philippine passenger ferry MV Doña Paz’s collision with the oil tanker MT Vector near Mindoro in 1987 is considered one of the worst deep sea tragedies in history. Both vessels caught on fire and quickly sank. According to survivors, Doña Paz, which was carrying an estimated 4,386 passengers and crew when it was only supposed to be carrying around 1,400. Because of the gravity of the accident, the vessel was nicknamed “Asia’s Titanic” and “the deadliest peacetime maritime disaster of the 20th century.” In the end, only 26 people were rescued.

What are the worst deep sea tragedies you’ve ever heard of? Share it with us in the comments!

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