Scientists in Tiny Sub Can’t Locate Iceberg Gash That Sank the Titanic

WOODS HOLE, Mass. —  Scientists circled the Titanic’s massive hull Tuesday, searching unsuccessfully for the point where an iceberg pierced the giant luxury liner 74 years ago, sending more than 1,500 people to their deaths.

“We ran along the entire length of the hull along the sediment line looking for a gash, and could see absolutely no evidence of a gash, although we did see several of the large plates buckled,” expedition leader Robert Ballard said.

Ballard, in a ship-to-shore conversation with officials at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, seemed puzzled by not finding the gash despite circling the bow six times in the three-person exploration submarine.

“We were definitely below water line down where the gash should be,” Ballard said.

Cause Uncertain

Speaking of the buckled plates, Ballard said: “Whether that was caused by the iceberg encounter or whether that was caused by the encounter when the ship hit bottom, we’ll just have to sit down with a lot of people and look at it.”

Woods Hole officials had said earlier that the researchers planned to send the project’s camera-toting robot, Jason Jr., back inside the Titanic. But Ballard said the robot had a motor problem, preventing its use Tuesday.

Nevertheless, Ballard said Tuesday’s dive was productive.

Called Most Thorough

“It was our most massive documentation to date. Today’s dive was the most thorough documentation because we had no current down there,” he said. “We were able to get extremely close and get beautiful pictures.

“We completely photographed the entire surface of the ship. I can almost say there is not a square inch of the Titanic that has not been photographed in beautiful detail in color,” he said.