The Titanic wreck, resting on the ocean floor of the North Atlantic, is increasingly showing signs of wear. A new exploration revealed that a segment of the railing had fallen from the ship’s iconic bow, a site famously depicted in the 1997 movie “Titanic” where characters Jack and Rose are seen “flying”.

This expedition was the first to visit the Titanic’s site following the tragic incident involving the Titan submersible last summer, which resulted in the fatalities of five individuals. The RMS Titanic Inc. organization, which possesses legal rights to salvage the wreck, assembled a crew of videographers, photographers, scientists, and historians in July to capture the existing conditions of the wreckage.

The Titanic met its fate after colliding with an iceberg on April 15, 1912, during its inaugural voyage, resulting in over 1,500 casualties. Interest in the underwater site has persisted, with various research trips undertaken, the last occurring in 2010.

During the 20-day 2024 expedition, researchers captured over 2 million images revealing fresh evidence of the Titanic’s decline.

During the exploration on July 29, the team found that a 15-foot section of the railing on the ship’s port side was missing. This section had remained intact during their 2010 visit. Previous photographs from expeditions have tracked the development of “rusticles and marine life” on the bow’s railing. The missing section is now situated on the seabed.

“While the eventual collapse of the Titanic is certain, this finding reinforces our dedication to documenting and preserving what we can before it’s too late,” RMS Titanic Inc. stated on its website.

‘Lost’ Statue Found Again

The research team aimed to track down a statue that had once served as the highlight of the Titanic’s first-class lounge. When the Titanic sank, this area was severely damaged, resulting in the loss of the “Diana of Versailles” statue among the debris.

This 2-foot bronze statue represents Diana, the Roman goddess of hunting. It was first seen in photographs taken during a 1986 expedition, but strict confidentiality regarding the Titanic wreck’s location kept its whereabouts unknown for many years, according to RMS Titanic Inc. After days of searching, the statue was finally discovered on the last day of the expedition, allowing for detailed photographs to be taken for the first time in over a century.

“Finding the statue of Diana was an exhilarating experience,” remarked Tomasina Ray, Director of Collections at RMS Titanic Inc., in a press release.

Prior to this expedition, RMS Titanic Inc. researchers indicated they would deploy remote-operated vehicles (ROVs) to gather data and capture images but would not employ any manned crafts.

In Memory of a Renowned Titanic Explorer Lost in a Submersible Accident

The organization overseeing this year’s expedition, RMS Titanic Inc., held a memorial for Paul-Henri Nargeolet and all those who perished in the Titan submersible tragedy as well as on the Titanic itself. Nargeolet was a distinguished Titanic expert and deep-sea explorer, having visited the wreck site 37 times.

Nargeolet, who was 73 years old, was aboard the Titan during its catastrophic implosion on June 18, 2023. He was slated to participate in this summer’s expedition as RMS Titanic Inc.’s underwater research director.

The search for the Titan drew global attention as rescuers mobilized for a frantic four-day operation after losing contact with the submersible. The vehicle was intended for a two-hour dive 2.5 miles down to the Titanic wreck site but failed to return. Those on board included Stockton Rush, CEO of OceanGate; Nargeolet, the deep-sea explorer from France; British adventurer Hamish Harding, 58; and Pakistani-British businessman Shahzada Dawood and his 19-year-old son, Suleman Dawood.

On June 22, the U.S. Coast Guard confirmed the identification of a debris field, indicating the Titan had imploded, claiming the lives of all aboard.

Recently, Nargeolet’s family filed a wrongful death lawsuit for $50 million against OceanGate, the operator of the Titan submersible.