1996 Titanic Dive Leaves Researchers with Mysterious Sonar Blip that Remained Undefined Until 26 Years Later

During the 1996 Titanic Dive, divers noticed an odd "sonar blip" and were perplexed. It remained a mystery for more than two decades until they identified it after 26 years.

At the time, they believed that a second shipwreck, a geological formation, or something else entirely was to take credit for the North Atlantic sonar transmission.

After 26 years, scientists have discovered that the blip was brought on by a diverse underwater ecosystem that was home to fish, corals, squat lobsters, sponges, and other sea life.

Mystery Solved 26 Years Later

The mystery has been resolved as a result of a new expedition to the luxury liner's wreckage that OceanGate Expeditions carried out this summer. The same company also captured footage of the "awe-inspiring" environment, which was found over 9,500 feet or around 2,900 meters deep off the Canadian province of Newfoundland.

After colliding with an iceberg on April 15, 1912, the Titanic sank. Today, the wreckage of the ship is located about 350 nautical miles from the Newfoundland coast.

According to OceanGate Expeditions, the sonar transmission in 1996 was "eerily similar" to that of the Titanic, but it was caused by an ecosystem on a previously undiscovered basalt formation rather than a shipwreck.

The famous wreck is only about 25 miles away from the ecosystem and was discovered on July 23 of this year.

Dr. Steve W. Ross, the chief scientist from OceanGate Expeditions, said that this finding will alter how people view the abyss's biodiversity.

According to the New York Post, the variety and abundance of the sponges, squat lobsters, bamboo corals, other cold-water corals, and fish that are thriving at 2,900 meters in depth in the North Atlantic Ocean astounded the team.

He added that the discovery of this previously undiscovered ecosystem also offers a chance to compare the marine biology within and around the Titanic, Daily Mail reports.

Read also: NOAA Finds 160-Year-Old Shipwreck on NC Sea Floor 

OceanGate Expeditions

Dedicated to manned underwater exploration, OceanGate Expeditions is a group of scientists, explorers, and filmmakers.

Mission Specialists are crucial and valuable crew members who contribute to the successful completion of the expedition, according to OceanGate Expeditions. Mission Specialists are crucial and valuable crew members who contribute to the successful completion of various studies, according to OceanGate Expeditions.

A Mission Specialist will receive coaching from the company's team and internationally renowned experts throughout a mission in any skill the participant wishes to acquire or already has an aptitude for.

Depending on the expedition, the roles needed might change. Typical roles include sonar and laser scan operation, photography and videography, communications and tracking, observation and documentation, submersible preparation, dive planning, and dive media review.

The submersible, which has five comfortable seats and is well-lit, has missions as well. There is no need to go through a decompression procedure at the end of the dive because the internal pressure is constant and is the same as the pressure at sea level. Similar to how the air in a spacecraft is recycled, the air inside the company's submarine does the same.

The company advises dressing in layers because the interior temperature is usually only a few degrees higher than the water's surface temperature.

Related articles: By 2030, Titanic Will Be Gone From its Watery Grave Due to Metal-Eating Lifeforms