A bronze statue from the Titanic, long thought to be lost and unseen for decades, has been rediscovered by RMS Titanic Inc., the company that holds the salvage rights to the wreck site. This marks their first expedition to the site in many years, with the last one occurring in 2010.
Based in Georgia, RMS Titanic Inc. recently released photos from their expedition, showing how the Titanic wreck continues to evolve more than 100 years after tragedy struck. This trip took place in a remote part of the North Atlantic Ocean, coinciding with the U.S. Coast Guard’s investigation into the tragic implosion of the Titan, an experimental submersible, in June 2023. The disaster resulted in the deaths of five individuals, including Paul-Henri Nargeolet, the director of underwater research for RMS Titanic.
In a statement, RMS Titanic described the findings from this summer’s expedition as a poignant mix of preservation and deterioration. Among the most significant discoveries was the statue titled “Diana of Versailles,” which had not been seen since 1986. The company shared that they now have a clear, updated image of the statue.
However, there was also unfortunate news: a large piece of the railing from the ship’s bow has collapsed. RMS Titanic noted that this railing was still standing as recently as 2022.
“Discovering the statue of Diana was an exhilarating moment for us. Yet, we are saddened by the loss of the iconic Bow railing and other signs of decay. This reinforces our commitment to preserving Titanic’s legacy,” said Tomasina Ray, who is the director of collections for RMS Titanic.
The crew spent a total of 20 days at the wreck site and returned to Providence, Rhode Island, on August 9. They captured over 2 million high-resolution images of the site, which are said to be the clearest ever taken.
During the expedition, the team also mapped out the wreck and its debris field using advanced equipment that will help improve understanding of the site. Their next steps involve processing the gathered data to share with the scientific community, and identifying historically significant and fragile artifacts for possible recovery in future missions.
Before the trip, the company expressed that this mission was particularly important following Nargeolet’s death.
The investigation by the Coast Guard will be discussed in a public hearing later in September. Meanwhile, Nargeolet’s family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against OceanGate, the operator of the Titan submersible, which halted operations after the incident. OceanGate has not yet publicly addressed the lawsuit, which was filed in a Washington state court.
