>> OF ALL THE RELICS OF HISTORY
ON THE OCEAN FLOOR, NONE IS
MORE MYSTERIOUS OR COMPELLING
THAN..."TITANIC."
THIS IS THE "TITANIC" WE ALL
KNOW--FROM BOOKS, FILMS, AND
TELEVISION...
BUT THERE IS ANOTHER
"TITANIC" NEVER SEEN BY HUMAN
EYES...
>> WE DON'T EVEN HAVE HALF OF
THE PIECES.
>> UNTIL NOW.
>> NO ONE'S EVER GONE INTO THAT
ACCIDENT SCENE AND MAPPED OUT
ALL THE ELEMENTS.
>> THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'RE
GOING TO GET THIS BIG PICTURE.
>> A NEW EXPEDITION SEARCHES
EVERY INCH OF 15 SQUARE
MILES FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER
AND FINDS EVERY MISSING PIECE.
>> THIS WAS A BIG CHUNK OF
"TITANIC" WE HAD NO IDEA
EXISTED!
>> CREATING THE FIRST-EVER
COMPLETE MAP OF THE ENTIRE
WRECK SITE, THEY LOOK TO
UNRAVEL THE DISASTER...
>> WE'RE LEARNING A LOT, FOR
THE FIRST TIME, ABOUT HOW
"TITANIC" REALLY SANK.
>> VIRTUALLY REASSEMBLE
"TITANIC"...
>> SO WE CONSTRUCT
THE SHIP AND RAISE IT BACK UP
TO WHERE IT LAST LEFT THE
SURFACE.
>> AND ATTEMPT TO SOLVE
A 100-YEAR-OLD MYSTERY: DID
"TITANIC" HAVE A FATAL FLAW?
>> IT WAS AN END VIOLENT BEYOND
IMAGINING.
[METAL CREAKS]
A STRUCTURE AS BIG AS AN
80-STORY BUILDING FALLING TWO
AND A HALF MILES.
[METAL GROANS]
40,000 TONS OF STEEL TEARING
ITSELF TO BITS.
[CRASH]
WHEN IT WAS OVER, PIECES LAY
SCATTERED ACROSS 15 SQUARE
MILES.
A HUNDRED YEARS LATER, HALF OF
THEM HAVE NEVER BEEN FOUND.
A NEW "TITANIC" EXPEDITION
IS ABOUT TO CHANGE THAT.
[INDISTINCT SHOUTING]
>> WE'RE HERE IN ST. JOHN'S,
NEWFOUNDLAND, ABOARD THE "JEAN
CHARCOT," THE EXPEDITION SHIP
THAT'S GOING OUT TO THE
"TITANIC" WRECK SITE.
>> PARKS STEPHENSON--
"TITANIC" HISTORIAN, SYSTEMS
ENGINEER, 20-YEAR U.S. NAVY
VETERAN.
>> IT'S A BEEHIVE
OF ACTIVITY--THERE'S PALLETS
BEING HOISTED ABOARD...
>> BRING IT DOWN.
>> THERE ARE TRAILER VANS
BEING WELDED TO THE DECK.
THIS IS A MAJOR EFFORT.
>> A MAJOR EFFORT THAT INCLUDES
SONAR AND ROBOT TEAMS...
>> PULL ON IT!
>> U.S. GOVERNMENT
ARCHAEOLOGISTS JIM DELGADO AND
DAVE ALBERG...
VETERAN "TITANIC"
EXPLORER PH NARGEOLET...
OCEANOGRAPHER DAVE GALLO FROM
WOODS HOLE OCEANOGRAPHIC
INSTITUTION...
UNDERWATER IMAGING EXPERT BILL
LANGE, ALSO FROM WOODS HOLE...
ALL WORKING WITH RMS TITANIC,
INCORPORATED, THE LEGAL
STEWARD, OR "SALVOR IN
POSSESSION," OF THE WRECK SITE.
>> WELCOME ABOARD.
CHRIS DAVINO, PRESIDENT OF
RMS TITANIC, INC.
>> CHRIS, WHAT'S THE
EXPEDITION TRYING TO
ACCOMPLISH? WHAT'S THE GOAL?
>> PRIMARY OBJECTIVE IS TO MAP
THE ENTIRE WRECK SITE.
THE OBJECTIVES ARE CLEAR. WE
WANT TO DO WHAT THE INDUSTRY
HAS BEEN CLAMORING FOR FOR A
LONG TIME, AND THE EQUIPMENT IS
FINALLY AVAILABLE, WHICH IS A
PROPER SITE SURVEY MAP OF THE
ENTIRE WRECK SITE.
>> THE PLAN IS TO
JUST COVER EVERYTHING,
THE ENTIRE SITE.
THERE HAVE BEEN
NUMEROUS EXPEDITIONS THAT HAVE
GONE DOWN THAT HAVE GAINED A
SENSE OF IT, BUT IT'S ALMOST
BEEN LIKE A DRIVE-BY THROUGH A
DARKENED CITY AT NIGHT, LOOKING
AT THINGS WITH A FLASHLIGHT AND
TRYING TO DRAW A STREET MAP OF
THE CITY.
>> YOU CAN WALK
AROUND THE CITY; YOU'D SEE SOME
PRETTY AMAZING STUFF, BUT YOU'D
HAVE NO IDEA WHERE YOU WERE,
WHAT YOU SAW, WHAT'S IN
CONTEXT, WHAT YOU MISSED.
AND SO WE'RE GONNA GO FAR
AND WIDE.
>> WHEN IT'S DONE, THIS
EXPEDITION WILL HAVE MAPPED
EVERY INCH OF THE WRECK SITE
AND FOUND EVERY PIECE OF
"TITANIC."
>> WE EXPECT THIS TO BE THE
HIGH POINT. NOW...
>> BUT EVEN THAT WON'T BE
ENOUGH TO UNLOCK THE FINAL
SECRETS OF THE DISASTER.
"TITANIC" WAS SUPPOSED TO BE
STATE OF THE ART, PRACTICALLY
UNSINKABLE.
YET IN LESS THAN 3 HOURS,
SHE BROKE APART AND SANK,
KILLING 1,500 PEOPLE.
DID THE SHIP HAVE A BUILT-IN
WEAKNESS? FAULTY MATERIALS,
OR A DESIGN FLAW?
THESE ARE THE QUESTIONS PARKS
STEPHENSON HOPES TO ANSWER.
THE EXPEDITION
WILL BRING BACK EVIDENCE,
BUT INTERPRETING WHAT IT MEANS
IS A WHOLE OTHER JOB.
INVESTIGATING AN AIRLINER OR
SHUTTLE CRASH, THE PIECES ARE
COLLECTED, BROUGHT TO A HANGAR,
AND STUDIED TO LEARN HOW IT
BROKE APART, WHAT WENT WRONG,
AND WHY.
IT'S THE SAME WITH "TITANIC"--
THE PIECES HOLD THE ANSWERS.
TO HELP VISUALIZE THE PIECES
IN 3 DIMENSIONS, PARKS
STEPHENSON WILL USE A VIRTUAL
RECONSTRUCTION OF THE WRECK
SITE HERE IN THIS HANGAR.
>> HERE, LET ME GIVE YOU A
DEMONSTRATION HERE...
>> LATER, WHEN WE GOT THE
TOWER...[INDISTINCT]
REALLY, THE VIRTUAL
HANGAR ALLOWS US TO
SIMULATE SPATIAL RELATIONSHIPS,
WHICH SOMETIMES CAN BE CRITICAL
TO UNDERSTANDING HOW PIECES CAN
GO BACK TOGETHER AGAIN.
>> OVER THE NEXT YEAR,
PARKS WILL WORK WITH A GROWING
TEAM OF EXPERTS.
>> YOU CAN JUST SEE
THE WAY THE BOW CRASHED INTO
THE BOTTOM LIKE THAT, AND...
>> INCLUDING MARINE ARTIST
KEN MARSCHALL.
>> I'M ALL ABOUT
FIGURING OUT "TITANIC" DEBRIS.
I JUST LOVE IT. I'M PASSIONATE
ABOUT IT. IT'S PUTTING PIECES
OF A PUZZLE TOGETHER.
ALL MY LIFE I'VE WANTED TO
BRING "TITANIC" BACK TO LIFE.
>> WHAT I'M EAGER TO
SEE IS WHAT'S OUT THERE IN THE
DARK, THE THINGS THAT HAVEN'T
BEEN SEEN BEFORE.
>> CONSULTING WITH THE TEAM IS
ACCIDENT INVESTIGATOR JIM
CHILES.
>> JUST LIKE THE NTSB
INVESTIGATING AN AIRLINE CRASH
OR A SHUTTLE CRASH,
IF WE WANT TO FIND OUT
WHAT REALLY HAPPENED TO THE
"TITANIC" THAT NIGHT, WE NEED
TO KNOW THE DEBRIS FIELD,
BECAUSE THE ANSWERS LIE IN
THOSE PIECES.
>> THE PROBLEM IS THE MOST
IMPORTANT PIECES--THE ONES
FROM THE FRACTURE ZONE WHERE
THE SHIP BROKE--HAVE NEVER
BEEN FOUND.
>> AND THAT'S REALLY THE KEY TO
UNDERSTANDING THE BREAKUP IS
UNDERSTANDING THE MIDDLE
SECTION.
AND WE CAN'T UNDERSTAND THE
MIDDLE SECTION UNTIL WE GET AT
LEAST A MAJORITY OF THE PIECES
BACK.
>> THAT IS WHAT THIS NEW
EXPEDITION IS ALL ABOUT.
>> WE'VE GOT TO
READJUST THE RIGGING.
>> PRETTY CLOSE TO THE GROUND.
>> THERE HAVE BEEN
NEARLY 20 EXPEDITIONS TO
"TITANIC" SINCE IT WAS
DISCOVERED IN 1985.
BUT THEY'VE ALL GONE TO THE
SAME PLACES, OVER AND OVER
AGAIN.
>> YOU GET THESE TOURISTY VIEWS
OF THE BOW, THE BRIDGE, THE
PROPELLERS, A CABIN OR TWO, BUT
WE DON'T KNOW THE WHOLE SITE.
>> NO ONE HAS EVER MAPPED THE
ENTIRE SITE, FOUND EVERY PIECE
OF WRECKAGE.
>> IF YOU WANT TO INVESTIGATE
EXACTLY HOW THAT SHIP CAME
APART, IT SHOULD BE THERE,
RECORDED ON THE OBJECTS LEFT ON
THE SEAFLOOR.
>> WE FEEL THAT THERE ARE
SIGNIFICANT PORTIONS THAT HAVE
REALLY NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE,
AND WE HOPE TO PROVE OR
DISPROVE THEORIES ON HOW THE
SHIP ACTUALLY CAME APART.
>> PREPARATIONS COMPLETE, THEY
HEAD FOR "TITANIC."
THE ONLY WILD CARD: WEATHER.
>> SO FOR THE NEXT 20 SOME
ODD DAYS, YOU KNOW, IT'S THIS
TEAM ON THIS VESSEL, OUT THERE
DOING WHAT WE NEED TO DO WITH
MOTHER NATURE, SO WE'LL SEE
WHAT HAPPENS.
>> THEIR OBJECTIVE--THE WORLD'S
MOST FAMOUS SHIPWRECK--WAS BORN
OUT OF INTENSE COMPETITION AT
THE DAWN OF THE 20th CENTURY.
>> IT WAS A RESPONSE BY
THE WHITE STAR LINE TO
BASICALLY A CHALLENGE FROM THE
CUNARD LINE.
>> THE COMPETING CUNARD LINE
HAD JUST COME OUT WITH
"LUSITANIA" AND "MAURITANIA" IN
1907, AND ALL THE WHITE STAR
SHIPS WERE LOOKING VERY SMALL
AND POKEY.
>> AND THE WHITE STAR LINE
DECIDED, HMM, WE WON'T BUILD
RECORD BREAKERS IN TERMS OF
SPEED.
BUT LET'S BUILD RECORD BREAKERS
IN TERMS OF SIZE AND COMFORT
AND LUXURY.
[HORN BLASTS]
>> SHE SAILED ON APRIL 10, 1912
FROM SOUTHAMPTON, WENT ACROSS
THE CHANNEL TO CHERBOURG,
FRANCE, WHERE SHE PICKED UP
MORE PASSENGERS, CUT OVER TO
QUEENSTOWN, IRELAND, TO PICK UP
THE LAST PASSENGERS, THEN SHE
HEADED OUT ACROSS THE ATLANTIC.
[BELL RINGING]
>> IN 4 DAYS, THE ROUGHLY
1,300 PASSENGERS AND 900 CREW
ONBOARD WILL MEET THEIR FATE.
THE QUESTIONS AND
ACCUSATIONS THAT ARISE THAT
NIGHT STILL RESONATE.
WHY WAS "TITANIC" SPEEDING
THROUGH A KNOWN ICE FIELD?
WHY WEREN'T THERE ENOUGH
LIFEBOATS?
WERE "TITANIC'S" MATERIALS OR
DESIGN DEFECTIVE?
100 YEARS LATER, THE
SEARCH FOR ANSWERS CONTINUES.
>> IT'S THE SECOND
FULL DAY OF THE EXPEDITION
NOW; WE'RE GOING TO
BE ARRIVING OVER THE ACTUAL
SITE OF THE "TITANIC" WRECK.
AS WE GOT ON THE SITE, WE
HAD A SHORT CEREMONY WHERE EACH
MEMBER OF THE CREW WERE ASKED
TO COME UP AND TAKE SOME
FLOWERS AND TOSS THEM IN THE
OCEAN.
>> A LOT'S BEEN MADE OF THIS
MISSION--ALL THE EQUIPMENT
WE'RE DEPLOYING, ALL THE
EXPERTS THAT WE'VE BROUGHT
TOGETHER.
BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE, AT
THE END OF THE DAY, THIS IS
REALLY IN AN EFFORT TO PRESERVE
THE LEGACY OF "TITANIC" AND
HONOR THE MEMORY OF ALL THOSE
THAT PERISHED THAT NIGHT.
>> TO ME, THE MEMORIAL SITE'S
MORE AT THE SURFACE THAN ON THE
SEA BED, SIMPLY BECAUSE SO MANY
PEOPLE LOST THEIR LIVES AT THE
SURFACE.
[PEOPLE SCREAMING]
>> AFTER THE CEREMONY,
PREPARATIONS RESUME FOR THE
FIRST DIVE.
>> BRIDGE; BACK DECK...
>> BUT ALREADY THERE'S TROUBLE.
>> WE'VE GOT NOT ONE BUT TWO
HURRICANES MOVING UP THE COAST.
WHAT DO WE DO? DO WE JUST MOVE
OFF OF THE SITE AND LET ONE
HURRICANE GO THROUGH?
THEN WHAT HAPPENS IF ANOTHER
ONE IS COMING UP RIGHT BEHIND
IT?
>> THERE HAVE BEEN EXPEDITIONS
THAT WERE TOTALLY SCRAPPED
BECAUSE OF WEATHER, AND THAT
WOULD BE HEARTBREAKING.
>> EXPEDITION LEADERS DAVE
GALLO AND CHRIS DAVINO DECIDE
TO TAKE A CHANCE AND REMAIN ON
SITE.
>> KEEP WINCHING OUT...
>> IN JUST A FEW HOURS, THE
CAMERAS WILL SPLASH IN...
>> OK, HERE WE GO...
>> AND BEGIN SENDING UP THE
FIRST IMAGES OF "TITANIC."
COMING UP--WRECKAGE FULLY
IMAGED FOR THE FIRST TIME.
JUST SOUTH OF THE STERN,
A HUGE SECTION OF HULL.
ATTACHED TO ITS INNER SIDE, TWO
PIECES OF MACHINERY.
SIZE: EACH IS 12 FEET ACROSS AND
WEIGHS OVER 7 TONS.
IDENTIFYING FEATURE: THEIR
DISTINCTIVE NAUTILUS SHAPE.
WHAT ARE THEY?
MAIN CIRCULATING PUMPS USED TO
RECYCLE "TITANIC'S" STEAM.
EACH COULD FILL A SWIMMING POOL
IN A MINUTE.
A PIECE OF THE PUZZLE TO
HELP UNDERSTAND THE BREAKUP.
>> 360 MILES SOUTHEAST OF
NEWFOUNDLAND, AN UNPRECEDENTED
EXPEDITION TEAM ASSEMBLES OVER
"TITANIC." A HUNDRED YEARS AFTER
THE SINKING, THE GOAL IS TO MAP
EVERY INCH OF THE WRECK SITE...
>> WE'RE LOOKING AT A BIGGER
AREA THAN EVER BEFORE.
>> FIND EVERY MISSING PIECE.
>> THERE HAVE BEEN
DOZENS OF EXPEDITIONS TO
"TITANIC," BUT REALLY NO ONE HAS
EVEN TRIED TO ACCOMPLISH
CREATING REALLY A COMPREHENSIVE
SITE SURVEY MAP OF THIS WRECK
SITE.
>> IF THEY SUCCEED, THE MAP MAY
HELP EXPERTS LEARN HOW THE SHIP
BROKE APART.
>> NO ONE'S EVER GONE
INTO THAT SCENE--YOU COULD
CALL IT A CRIME SCENE IF
YOU WANT, THAT ACCIDENT SCENE--
AND MAPPED OUT ALL THE ELEMENTS.
AND IF YOU WANT TO INVESTIGATE
EXACTLY HOW THAT SHIP CAME
APART, IT SHOULD BE THERE,
RECORDED ON THE OBJECTS LEFT ON
THE SEAFLOOR.
>> WHAT THE TEAM WANTS TO FIND
IS PIECES FROM "TITANIC'S"
MISSING MIDDLE--THE EXACT POINT
WHERE THE SHIP BROKE.
>> SEE, WE WANT TO GO BACK
AND LOOK AND TRY AND FIND THIS
DOWN HERE.
>> BASICALLY, I'M HOPING TO FIND
ALL THE REST OF THE PIECES THAT
WE NEED TO PUT THAT TOGETHER.
AND OF THAT MIDDLE SECTION, I
WOULD SAY WE DON'T EVEN HAVE
HALF OF THE PIECES.
>> WITH 15 SQUARE MILES OF
OCEAN BOTTOM TO SEARCH, IT
WON'T BE EASY.
>> WE'RE GOING TO TRY
TO IMAGE THE WRECK SITE
AS MUCH AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.
WE WANT TO GET THAT NEAR-100%
COVERAGE OF THE WRECK.
THAT HASN'T BEEN DONE BEFORE.
>> TO DO IT, THEY'LL USE
STATE-OF-THE-ART HIGH
DEFINITION CAMERAS BUILT BY
WOODS HOLE OCEANOGRAPHIC
INSTITUTION, THE WORLD'S TOP
EXPERTS IN UNDERWATER
PHOTOGRAPHY.
>> THAT'S IT?
>> A LITTLE BIT MORE.
>> NO HUMANS WILL DIVE TO
"TITANIC."
INSTEAD, THE CAMERAS WILL BE
MOUNTED ON A ROBOT TETHERED TO
THE SHIP BY MILES OF CABLE--
>> LINE'S CLEAR.
>> THE REMOTELY OPERATED
VEHICLE, ROV, A SPACESHIP OF THE
DEEP. BUILT IN LARGO, MARYLAND,
IT'S ONE OF THE
MOST SOPHISTICATED OCEAN
ROBOTS ON THE PLANET.
>> I DON'T KNOW EXACT
NUMBERS, BUT THERE ARE VERY FEW
VEHICLES IN THE WORLD THAT CAN
GO TO 6,000 METERS. THIS--IT'S
ALMOST A ONE-OF-A-KIND.
>> IN A WORLD OF TOTAL
DARKNESS, THE ROV MUST PROVIDE
LIGHT,
MANEUVER GRACEFULLY,
AND ENDURE 5 TONS OF PRESSURE ON
EVERY SQUARE INCH OF ITS
SURFACE.
>> IF THERE'S AN AIR BUBBLE
INSIDE A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT, IT
WILL CRUSH IN A HEARTBEAT.
>> CAN YOU GRAB THE BOAT HOOK?
>> FINALLY, AFTER MONTHS OF
PLANNING AND MILLIONS OF
DOLLARS, IT'S TIME FOR THE
ROV's FIRST DIVE.
>> THE SHIP IS ZERO-NINE-FIVE.
>> ROGER.
>> IT ALWAYS LOOKS EASY IN THE
FILMS, YOU KNOW, WHERE, YOU GO,
YOU PUT THE ROV IN THE WATER,
IT GOES DOWN, AND IT WORKS.
WELL, I MEAN THE REALITY IS,
THERE'S ALWAYS A BIT OF
TREPIDATION THE FIRST TIME YOU
PUT SOMETHING IN THE WATER THAT
HASN'T BEEN USED BEFORE.
>> WATCH THE CABLE RIGHT
THERE.
>> TWO AND A HALF MILES DOWN
AND A WORLD AWAY...
"TITANIC."
A HUNDRED YEARS AGO, WHEN
"TITANIC" MADE ITS DESCENT,
700 SURVIVORS REMAINED ON THE
SURFACE.
>> 4 DAYS LATER, WHEN THEY
REACHED NEW YORK ABOARD THE
RESCUE SHIP "CARPATHIA," SENATOR
WILLIAM SMITH OF MICHIGAN
BEGINS AN INVESTIGATION.
THE WORLD HAS QUESTIONS.
WHILE THE EXPEDITION TEAM
AWAITS THEIR FIRST VIEWS OF
"TITANIC," BACK ON LAND,
ACCIDENT INVESTIGATOR JIM
CHILES PROBES HISTORICAL
ARCHIVES.
>> SO MANY STORIES
THAT HAVE BUILT UP; A HUNDRED
YEARS ON, WHAT HOLDS UP?
WHAT'S THE TRUTH? ICE.
WHY DID THEY GO FULL SPEED INTO
AN ICE FIELD?
WHY WOULD ANYONE DO SUCH A
THING?
THE STRENGTH OF THE SHIP.
ONE OF THE THEORIES TO COME
FORWARD WAS WEAK RIVET HEADS
THAT SHEARED, THAT BROKE TOO
EASILY,
OPENED UP THE SEAMS,
AND THE FAILURE BEGINS.
WHERE'S THE TRUTH TO THAT?
LIFEBOATS.
DID IT RISE TO NEGLIGENCE
TO NOT HAVE ENOUGH LIFEBOATS,
NOT NEARLY ENOUGH SEATS ON
THOSE LIFEBOATS?
THE SHIP'S BREAKUP.
HOW DID THE METAL BEND?
WHY DID THAT FRACTURE START?
IS THERE A CHANCE THAT THERE
WAS A DESIGN FLAW BUILT INTO
THE "TITANIC"?
>> EACH QUESTION POINTS BLAME
AT A PARTICULAR PERSON: CAPTAIN
SMITH FOR GOING SO FAST INTO
ICE; WHITE STAR CHAIRMAN BRUCE
ISMAY FOR THE NUMBER OF
LIFEBOATS;
AND IF RIVETS OR DESIGN
WERE DEFECTIVE, NAVAL ARCHITECT
THOMAS ANDREWS.
>> DID THE SHIP HAVE A
BUILT-IN WEAKNESS TO IT?
FATAL FLAW--OR NOT?
>> IN 1912, WITH NO
PHYSICAL EVIDENCE TO EXAMINE,
SENATOR WILLIAM SMITH'S
INVESTIGATION CONCLUDES
"TITANIC" SANK INTACT.
IN ITS REPORT, THE BRITISH
BOARD OF TRADE AGREES: THE SHIP
DID NOT BREAK.
TO HELP VISUALIZE THE SITE IN
3 DIMENSIONS, THE TEAM IS
USING A VIRTUAL RECONSTRUCTION
OF THE KNOWN PIECES OF WRECKAGE
IN THIS HANGAR.
>> IN 1912, WHEN "TITANIC" SANK,
THE GENERAL CONSENSUS WAS THAT
SHE SANK INTACT.
THIS IS WHAT THEY IMAGINED
"TITANIC" LOOKED LIKE.
A LOT OF THE EYEWITNESSES
DISTINCTLY SAW IT BREAK IN TWO,
THAT'S WHAT THEY SAID.
BUT THE OFFICIAL LINE, AGAIN,
WAS THAT SHE WENT DOWN INTACT.
>> IT WILL BE MORE THAN 70 YEARS
BEFORE THE BREAKUP IS CONFIRMED.
AND EVEN TODAY, THE DETAILS
OF HOW "TITANIC" BROKE REMAIN
UNKNOWN.
>> WE'RE JUST ABOUT TO HIT THE
BOTTOM.
>> THIS EXPEDITION MAY FINALLY
UNRAVEL THE MYSTERY--IF THEY
CAN FIND AND IMAGE MISSING
PIECES NEVER BEFORE SEEN.
>> WE HAVE A LOT OF THINGS THAT
CAN CONSPIRE AGAINST US.
YOU KNOW, WE ESSENTIALLY HAVE A
SHIP, AND TWO AND A HALF MILES
AWAY AT THE END OF A TETHER,
WE'VE GOT AN ROV.
WELL, THERE'S A LOT THAT CAN
HAPPEN WITH THAT CABLE.
>> GO AHEAD?
>> DO YOU FEEL
YOU'RE FIGHTING AGAINST
THE UMBILICAL ON THE SEA BED?
'CAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO DUMP TOO
MUCH CABLE JUST TO GET OVER TO
IT, 'CAUSE THEN WE HAVE TO WORRY
ABOUT WRAPPING THE CABLE AROUND
STUFF.
>> OK, ROGER THAT.
>> THE TIME COMES IN THE DIVE
WHEN WE'RE GOING TO GET OUR
FIRST IMAGES OF THE WRECK.
THE SHADOW APPEARS IN THE
DISTANCE, OUTSIDE THE RANGE OF
THE LIGHTS.
THE LIGHTS START TO REACH IT
AND ILLUMINATE IT.
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN...
THERE'S "TITANIC."
[APPLAUSE AND LAUGHTER]
>> I'M JUST...
CAN YOU IMAGINE WE'RE DOING
THIS LIVE?
I'M JUST STUNNED!
>> ON THIS FIRST DIVE, THEY'LL
IMAGE THE BOW SECTION.
IT'S FAMILIAR TERRITORY--BUT
BREATHTAKING NEVERTHELESS.
>> I MEAN, TO SIT IN THE ROOM,
AND SEE ON THESE HUGE MONITORS
LIVE SHOTS OF "TITANIC," IT'S
INCREDIBLE.
>> THE FIRST IMAGES COMING UP
ARE STAGGERING.
THERE YOU ARE ON THE BOTTOM OF
THE OCEAN, TRANSPORTED TO THE
SEA FLOOR--IT'S MIND BOGGLING!
EVEN THE VETERANS THAT HAVE
BEEN TO "TITANIC" NUMEROUS
TIMES ARE SLACK-JAWED.
>> BUT THIS IS JUST THE
BEGINNING.
THE REAL MISSION IS FINDING NEW
WRECKAGE.
ONCE THEY HEAD OUT INTO THE
UNKNOWN, ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE.
>> OH, WE'RE GETTING REALLY
CLOSE NOW.
>> WOW.
>> AT ANY MOMENT, JUST BEYOND
THE LIGHTS, COULD BE A
NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN
PIECE THAT HOLDS
THE SECRET OF THE BREAKUP.
COMING UP, WRECKAGE FULLY
REVEALED FOR THE FIRST TIME:
A FRAGMENT OF DELICATE FILIGREE
THAT SOMEHOW SURVIVED.
SIZE: THIS CIRCULAR FRAME IS
ABOUT 10 FEET ACROSS.
WHAT IS IT?
THE REMNANTS OF A SKYLIGHT.
WHERE WAS IT?
OVER ONE OF "TITANIC'S" ELEGANT
TWO GRAND STAIRCASES.
ONE OF THOUSANDS OF PIECES
SEEN IN CONTEXT FOR THE FIRST
TIME.
>> GOT THE POWER BACK UP?
PUT IT IN THE FRAME. LOWER.
>> THE MOST AMBITIOUS "TITANIC"
EXPEDITION EVER ATTEMPTED IS
SEARCHING FOR PIECES NEVER
BEFORE SEEN AND CREATING THE
FIRST COMPLETE MAP OF THE WRECK
SITE.
>> IN '85 TO '87, OVER 20 YEARS
AGO, THEY STARTED A MAP ON
"TITANIC" THAT WAS NEVER
FINISHED. AND BASICALLY WE'RE
HERE TO FINISH THE JOB.
>> SURVEY, ROV.
>> RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE STARTING
THEIR FIRST DIVE, EXPLORING THE
BOW. SPECIAL GLASSES LET THEM
SEE THE IMAGERY IN 3-D.
[BEEPING]
[APPLAUSE]
>> THAT'S WHAT WE NEEDED,
RIGHT THERE!
>> MOST OF THESE VETERANS HAVE
BEEN TO "TITANIC" BEFORE.
BUT WOODS HOLE'S NEW HIGH
DEFINITION CAMERAS ARE AN EYE
OPENER. THE BRIDGE.
THE ROOF AND WALLS ARE GONE.
ON THIS SPOT, WHERE PREVIOUS
EXPEDITIONS HAVE LEFT MEMORIAL
PLAQUES, QUARTERMASTER HITCHENS
TRIED FRANTICALLY TO STEER
AROUND THE ICEBERG.
[MAN YELLING]
>> I REALLY GAINED A SENSE THAT
THIS SITE IS MORE THAN JUST
BROKEN PIECES OF A SHIP.
IT'S EVERYTHING THAT WAS IN
THAT SHIP--EVERYTHING.
FROM THE SUPPLIES AND THE
EQUIPMENT, TO THE BAGGAGE, TO
THE PEOPLE THEMSELVES.
>> THE PEOPLE.
A FEW ARE STILL REMEMBERED, BUT
MOST ON "TITANIC" THAT NIGHT
ARE LOST TO US NOW.
YET THERE ARE STILL STORIES,
AND SECRETS, BEING UNCOVERED.
STORIES ABOUT PEOPLE LIKE
GEORGE THORNE AND HIS WIFE
MAYBELLE, TRAVELING IN FIRST
CLASS.
>> THEY'RE A WELL-TO-DO
COUPLE, VERY UPPER CRUST, FROM
NEW YORK.
GEORGE'S BUSINESS WAS
BEING A HAT DRESSER, AND HE WAS
TAKING A ROUND-THE-WORLD TOUR.
>> AN ELABORATE LEADED GLASS
WINDOW IN THE FIRST CLASS
DINING SALOON.
GEORGE AND MAYBELLE UNDOUBTEDLY
ENJOYED SUMPTUOUS MEALS HERE.
AND STROLLED HERE: THE FIRST
CLASS PROMENADE.
ON "TITANIC," THE DIFFERENT
CLASSES RARELY MINGLED.
NEAR THE STERN, NOT FAR FROM
FIRST CLASS BUT A WORLD AWAY,
WAS THE SECOND CLASS LIBRARY.
AMONG THE PASSENGERS WHO MIGHT
HAVE RELAXED HERE IS FRANZ
PULBAUM, FROM NEW YORK.
>> HE WAS A MECHANIC, AND HE
EVENTUALLY WOUND UP IN THE
EMPLOY OF THE WITCHING WAVES
COMPANY, AN ORGANIZATION THAT
MANUFACTURED CONEY ISLAND
THRILL RIDES.
>> INTRODUCED IN 1907 BY
INVENTOR THEOPHILUS VAN KANNEL,
THE WITCHING WAVES RIDE WAS A
FORERUNNER TO TODAY'S BUMPER
CARS.
ITS POPULARITY SPREAD ACROSS
THE U.S. AND ABROAD--WHICH
MEANT BUSINESS TRIPS FOR FRANZ
PULBAUM.
>> THEY WANTED TO OPEN UP A
RIDE IN LUNA PARK IN PARIS,
FRANCE.
SO PULBAUM WAS SENT ACROSS TO
FRANCE TO START THE
INSTALLATION.
>> FRANZ PULBAUM DOES SUCH A
GOOD JOB THAT HIS BOSS, VAN
KANNEL, GIVES HIM A BONUS:
STOCK IN THE COMPANY, PLUS AN
UPGRADE FOR HIS TRIP BACK TO
NEW YORK.
INSTEAD OF RETURNING ON A
FRENCH SHIP, HE'LL SWITCH, AND
TAKE THE FANCY NEW LINER
"TITANIC."
>> TO THE WHITE STAR LINE, THE
REALLY IMPORTANT PASSENGERS,
THE ONES WHO BRING IN THE MOST
REVENUE, WERE THE ONES WHO
MIGHT HAVE STOOD HERE, ON THE
THIRD CLASS PROMENADE DECK:
IMMIGRANTS, LIKE 19-YEAR-OLD
MARGARET DEVANEY, COMING TO
AMERICA FROM IRELAND.
>> LIFE IN THIRD CLASS WAS LIKE
A LUXURY RESORT HOTEL AT SEA
FOR THESE PEOPLE.
IT WAS PROBABLY THE FIRST TIME
IN THEIR LIVES THEY HAD AS MUCH
FOOD AS THEY COULD EAT, AND THAT
WAS COVERED IN THE COST OF THE
TICKET.
THEY HAD A GENERAL ROOM FITTED
WITH A PIANO FOR THE LADIES AND
THE CHILDREN.
>> THE THIRD CLASS GENERAL ROOM
WAS IN THE STERN.
WHEN "TITANIC" BROKE, THE HEAVY
STERN SECTION SLAMMED INTO THE
OCEAN FLOOR WITH SUCH FORCE
THAT IT WAS COMPLETELY
DEVASTATED.
TODAY, THE STERN IS ALMOST
UNRECOGNIZABLE.
>> DID THIS GET KNOCKED OFF, OR
DID IT GET DEPOSITED ON THE
SEABED?
>> THIS FIRST LOOK AT THE WRECK
IS PROVING JUST HOW GOOD WOODS
HOLE'S NEW CAMERAS REALLY ARE.
THE STUNNING IMAGERY--SHOT IN
HIGH-DEFINITION 2-D AND 3-D--IS
A FAR CRY FROM WHAT WAS POSSIBLE
BACK IN 1985 WHEN ROBERT BALLARD
SET OUT TO FIND "TITANIC."
BILL LANGE WAS THERE.
>> IT WAS MIDNIGHT, 1:00 IN
THE MORNING.
WE'D SEEN ENOUGH DEBRIS THAT WE
SAID THERE'S GOT TO BE
SOMETHING BIG AROUND HERE.
FINALLY DECIDED WE BETTER WAKE
BOB UP, AND THE REST OF THE
TEAM UP, 'CAUSE WE WERE STARTING
TO GO OVER THINGS LIKE BOILERS.
>> IT'S A BOILER! IT LOOKS LIKE
A BOILER! YES!
>> AND WHEN WE SAW THE BOILER,
THERE WERE ONLY 3 SHIPS IN
THE WORLD THAT WERE BUILT WITH
THAT DESIGN OF BOILER, AND WE
KNEW WHERE THE OTHER TWO WERE.
SO...
>> AFTER 73 YEARS, "TITANIC" IS
FOUND.
BUT WITH THE DISCOVERY, A NEW
MYSTERY IS BORN: THE BREAKUP.
>> WE HAD NO IDEA THE SHIP HAD
BROKEN IN TWO.
>> FOR "TITANIC" HISTORIANS,
THE 1985 DISCOVERY OF THE
BREAKUP WAS A REVELATION.
>> WE HAD ALL COME TO
ACCEPT THAT THE SHIP HAD SUNK
IN ONE PIECE.
AND IF YOU'RE FINDING A BOILER,
THAT CAN ONLY MEAN ONE THING--
IT EITHER FELL THROUGH A LITTLE
HOLE, OR THE WHOLE SHIP CAME
APART.
[BEEPING]
THE STERN WAS FOUND ABOUT
2,000 FEET AWAY, TO THE SOUTH.
SHIPS AREN'T SUPPOSED
TO BREAK IN HALF.
AND TO ME, THAT RAISES THE
QUESTION, WAS THERE A FATAL
FLAW?
>> THE FANTASY OF "TITANIC"
INTACT WAS REPLACED BY PROOF
THAT THE SHIP HAD BROKEN APART,
WHICH RAISED QUESTIONS.
HOW AND WHY DID "TITANIC" BREAK?
WERE MATERIALS OR DESIGN
DEFECTIVE?
>> THAT'S WHERE
FANTASY GAVE WAY TO SLOWLY AND
METHODICALLY BUILDING THE
EVIDENCE, COLLECTING THE
IMAGERY, IDENTIFYING THINGS, THE
FORENSIC STUDY AND ANALYSIS OF
"TITANIC."
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
>> THE FORENSIC STUDY AND
ANALYSIS OF "TITANIC" MAY BE
REVOLUTIONIZED BY THIS
EXPEDITION.
>> WE'RE GOING TO ZOOM A BIT.
>> NOW THAT THE
TECHNOLOGY IS TESTED AND
WORKING, THE NEXT STEP IS TO
MOVE AWAY FROM THE FAMILIAR AND
OUT INTO THE UNKNOWN.
THE DEBRIS FIELD--HOME TO
THOUSANDS OF PIECES OF
"TITANIC" NEVER BEFORE SEEN.
BUT BEFORE THEY CAN START
SEARCHING, THERE'S A PROBLEM.
>> THE CAPTAIN JUST SAID THE
STORM'S GOTTEN A LITTLE BIT
BIGGER AND IT'S NOW STEAMING
DIRECTLY AT US.
>> WITH TWO HURRICANES BEARING
DOWN ON US, IT MAKES MORE SENSE
TO PULL INTO PORT AND WAIT
THESE STORMS OUT.
IT'S JUST FRUSTRATING BECAUSE
WE HAD JUST BEEN BRINGING BACK
SOME INCREDIBLE DATA.
>> SO, YOU KNOW, WE NEED
TO LEAVE.
I TOLD THE ROV TEAM THAT WE
NEED TO GET OFF THE BOTTOM.
WENT BACK TO MY ROOM, AND THEN
BILL LANGE KNOCKED ON THE DOOR.
>> HAD TO GO INTO HIS CABIN,
TELLING HIM WHAT PROBLEMS WE
WERE HAVING 'CAUSE WE HAVE
MILES AND MILES OF THIS CABLE.
THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT IT
CAN GET HOOKED ON.
>> WE'VE GOT ABOUT 4,000 METERS
OF CABLE OUT.
>> AND ONE OF THE ROV
OPERATORS CAME IN AND WHISPERED
IN MY EAR AND SAID, WE'VE GOT A
PROBLEM.
>> WE HAVE A HORRIBLE SITUATION.
>> AND, YOU KNOW,
DAVE AND I LOOKED AT EACH OTHER.
>> WE'VE GOT A HURRICANE EN
ROUTE, AND WE'RE SNAGGED ON
THE "TITANIC."
THIS IS NOT GOOD.
>> THE ROV TETHER IS CAUGHT IN
THE WRECKAGE.
>> THE CAPTAIN SAYS WE'VE GOT
TO GO. SO WE HAVE A COUPLE OF
CHOICES TO MAKE.
ONE IS, DO YOU PULL AND CLOSE
YOUR EYES AND PULL REAL HARD?
AND IN THAT CASE, WE PULL UP A
PIECE OF "TITANIC"--NOT GOOD--
A CAREER-ENDING MOVE.
OR, DO YOU CUT THE CABLE?
>> AND LEAVE MILLIONS OF
DOLLARS OF EQUIPMENT ON THE
OCEAN FLOOR, AND THIS MISSION
WOULD BE OVER.
>> STORM COMING, COULD LOSE THE
VEHICLE. WHEW!
"TITANIC" IN YEARS IS SEARCHING
FOR NEW PIECES AND MAKING THE
FIRST-EVER MAP OF THE ENTIRE
WRECK SITE.
>> BUT NOW THERE'S A HURRICANE
APPROACHING, AND THE ROV's
TETHER IS SNAGGED ON THE WRECK.
>> IT'S GOING DOWN.
>> IT'S GOING DOWN AND THEN
BACK UP.
>> INSIDE THE ROV CONTROL ROOM,
PILOT MARK HEINRICH IS
DESPERATELY TRYING TO FREE THE
VEHICLE.
>> THE CURRENT SWITCHED
DIRECTION, AND IT LAID THE
CABLE RIGHT OVER THE TOP OF THE
WRECK.
>> THE CABLE HAS
GOTTEN IN A SLOT ON THE SIDE OF
THE SHIP THAT'S ABOUT TWO
INCHES WIDE.
THE CABLE PINCHED ITSELF IN
THIS PIECE OF METAL, JUST
PINCHED TIGHT AS CAN BE.
>> WOW.
>> WE'RE CURRENTLY IN ABOUT THE
WORST SITUATION YOU COULD
POSSIBLY BE WITH AN ROV IN THE
WATER, AND THAT IS, RIGHT AT
THIS MINUTE WE'VE GOT THE ROV
SNAGGED,
AND WE'VE GOT A SMALL NUMBER OF
HOURS BEFORE THIS HURRICANE IS
ON THIS SPOT.
>> THE STORM IS GOING TO
TRAVEL FASTER THAN WE CAN.
SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT,
YOU KNOW, WE ERR ON THE SIDE OF
CAUTION THERE, AS WELL, AND GET
OUT OF HERE IN TIME.
>> SO, SHIP'S SAFETY COMES
FIRST, AND WE'RE OUT OF HERE.
>> I MEAN, TO SAY IT'S TENSE IS
PRETTY MUCH AN UNDERSTATEMENT.
>> WHAT?
>> GOT TO POWER BACK UP.
>> CARRYING 7 CHANNELS OF
VIDEO, 3,000 VOLTS OF POWER, AND
ALL COMMANDS TO THE VEHICLE,
THIS CABLE IS THE ROV's
LIFELINE.
>> YEAH, THIS IS GOING TO BE
BAD--THE SNARE IS PINCHING MY
CABLE, AND IT COULD BREAK THE
FIBERS AT ANY MINUTE AND CAUSE
THE VEHICLE TO SHUT OFF, AND
THEN WE'D HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO
GET IT UNTANGLED.
>> WE EFFECTIVELY HAVE TWO
CHOICES: ONE, WE COULD EITHER
CUT THE CABLE AND LEAVE
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF
EQUIPMENT ON THE OCEAN FLOOR,
AND THIS MISSION WOULD BE OVER.
OR, WE COULD BEGIN TO WINCH UP
THE ROV, AND WE MIGHT SERIOUSLY
DAMAGE "TITANIC."
>> MOVE THE SHIP EAST.
>> ALL RIGHT.
BRIDGE, ROV--CAN YOU MOVE
EAST, TOWARDS THE BOW, THE BOW
OF THE SHIP.
>> MOVE EAST, OK.
>> YOU KNOW, ALL OF OUR HEARTS
ARE STOPPED. IT'S VERY QUIET.
>> WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE
THAT DECISION, ONE OR THE OTHER:
CUT THE CORD, OR PULL.
>> IF I COULD GET UP THERE, I
COULD RAM INTO IT AND PUSH IT
OVER. BUT I CAN'T EVEN GET
UP THERE. I'M FULL UP.
COME ON, YOU PAIN IN MY ASS!
>> WE'VE USED THE LIGHT ARM AND
THE LIGHT TO HOOK THE TETHER.
>> LET'S COME BACK UP AND SEE
IF THAT PULLED FREE.
>> AND ALL OF A SUDDEN
IT JUST POPPED OUT.
>> WE'RE FREE. WHOO-HOO!
>> I MEAN, A PHENOMENAL PIECE
OF PILOTING ON HIS PART.
>> LESS THAN AN HOUR BEFORE WE
HAD TO BE OUT OF HERE--ONE OF
THE HAPPIEST MOMENTS AT SEA OF
MY LIFE.
>> WAY TO GO, BOYS!
YOU HAD THE BOYS SWEATIN' THERE
FOR AWHILE, I'M TELLING YOU--
THEY'RE ALL UP THERE [BLEEP]
BULLETS!
>> LUCKILY, PATIENCE
PAID OFF AND WE WERE ABLE TO
SAVE THE ROV.
AND OUR CAREERS.
[LAUGHS]
>> HOLD ON!
>> JUST IN TIME, THEY
MAKE IT BACK TO ST. JOHN's,
360 MILES AWAY.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
>> WE'RE NOT GONNA STOP
UNTIL THIS IS DONE.
WE ARE ALL ITCHING, ESPECIALLY
ME, I AM ITCHING TO GET BACK
OUT THERE AND TO PICK UP WHERE
WE LEFT OFF.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
>> THEY KNOW PIECES
ARE OUT THERE THAT HAVE NEVER
BEEN FOUND, INCLUDING THE
MISSING MIDDLE.
THE MIDDLE IS THE KEY TO
UNDERSTANDING HOW AND WHY
"TITANIC" BROKE APART, AND
WHETHER IT WAS A WEAK SHIP.
>> THE MIDDLE OF
THE SHIP IS WHERE ALL THE
ACTION WAS GOING ON.
I MEAN, LIKE I SAID, WE'VE GOT
THE BOW SECTION, WE'VE GOT THE
STERN SECTION.
EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN ARE ALL
THOSE PARTS IN MOTION.
>> ONE PART OF THE MISSING
MIDDLE WAS FOUND IN 2005, ON A
PREVIOUS HISTORY EXPEDITION,
WHEN BILL LANGE SUGGESTED GOING
EAST.
>> WE KNEW WE HAD TARGETS THAT
WERE TO THE EAST OF THE STERN
THAT PEOPLE REALLY HADN'T EVER
LOOKED AT.
>> SHIPWRECK EXPLORERS JOHN
CHATTERTON AND RICHIE KOHLER
DOCUMENTED THE DISCOVERY.
>> RIGHT OVER
HERE WE GOT SOMETHING.
>> WE'RE LOOKING AT
THE BOTTOM OF THE SHIP!
>> THIS IS IT.
THAT'S DOUBLE HULL!
>> IT'S SPECTACULAR!
>> THIS IS THE
ENTIRE BOTTOM OF THE SHIP, THE
ENTIRE BOTTOM, FROM PORT TO
STARBOARD.
>> THE PIECES WERE FROM
"TITANIC'S" DOUBLE BOTTOM.
THE DOUBLE BOTTOM IS THE SPINE
OF THE SHIP, AND THE KEY TO ITS
STRENGTH.
>> TWO HUGE SECTIONS FOUND OUT
ON THE EASTERN SIDE OF THE
DEBRIS FIELD.
>> TO IDENTIFY WHERE ON THE
SHIP THEY CAME FROM, THE TEAM
TURNED TO KEN MARSCHALL.
>> I WAS TASKED TO DO DIAGRAMS
OF WHAT THESE TWO PIECES LOOKED
LIKE.
EACH INDIVIDUAL PIECE I DREW,
CAREFULLY FIGURED OUT INCH BY
INCH THE PLATES AND WHAT THESE
EDGES LOOKED LIKE.
I REMEMBER THE MOMENT WHEN I
TRIED TO SEE, ARE THESE THINGS
GOING TO CONNECT?
TO MY GREAT SATISFACTION, I
FOUND THAT THESE TWO PIECES FIT
TOGETHER PERFECTLY.
>> SO THESE PIECES ARE RIGHT AT
THE POINT WHERE "TITANIC" BROKE
APART.
>> THIS WAS THE FIRST
PIECE OF THE PUZZLE OF
THE MISSING MIDDLE SECTION.
AND EVERYTHING ELSE WAS GOING
TO DERIVE FROM THIS.
>> FINDING THE REST OF THE
MISSING MIDDLE IS UP TO THIS
EXPEDITION TEAM.
>> SO TAKE THE TENSION ON THAT.
>> WITH THE HURRICANE GONE,
THEY'RE BACK AT "TITANIC."
NOW THEY CAN START WORK
CREATING THE FIRST MAP OF THE
COMPLETE SITE, AND SEARCHING
FOR ALL THE MISSING PIECES.
>> WHAT WE'RE LOOKING
FOR IN THIS MAPPING
PROJECT IS TO SEE WHERE THE
PIECES LIE ALL IN RELATION TO
EACH OTHER.
THAT'S GOING TO BE THE
IMPORTANCE OF THIS SONAR MAP.
>> IT'S MUCH TOO BIG
A JOB FOR THE TETHERED ROV.
INSTEAD, THEY'LL USE A PAIR OF
THESE: AUVs--AUTONOMOUS
UNDERWATER VEHICLES.
SELF-GUIDED ROBOTS CARRYING
HIGH-RESOLUTION SONAR.
>> THE ROVs ARE VERY GOOD AT
LOOKING AT THINGS CLOSE UP.
BUT TO TRY TO GET AN OVERALL
PICTURE OF WHAT THE WRECK LOOKS
LIKE AND THE DEBRIS FIELD
AROUND IT, THAT'S WHAT THE AUV
IS BRINGING TO THIS SEARCH.
>> THEY'VE GOT A PAIR OF THEM,
NAMED AFTER TWO WOMEN LOST AT
SEA ON A 3-HOUR TOUR...
GINGER AND MARY ANN.
>> PROCEED AT TWO KNOTS
TO THE LAUNCH POINT.
>> THE AUVs ARE
BASICALLY AUTOMATIC,
TORPEDO-LIKE ROBOTS THAT ARE
AUTONOMOUS.
WE TELL THEM WHAT TO DO, WE GET
THEM DOWN THERE, WE GET THEM
BACK TO THE SURFACE, WE GET
WHAT WE WANT FROM THEM, WE
START OVER AGAIN.
>> VEHICLE IS IN THE WATER.
>> GINGER AND MARY ANN WILL MAP
AN AREA 3 BY 5 MILES,
RUNNING BACK AND FORTH--
MOWING THE LAWN.
>> YOU DRAW A BOX,
YOU RUN DOWN ONE LENGTH,
YOU TURN, YOU COME BACK.
JUST LIKE BEING OUT IN THE BACK
YARD AND GOING BACK AND FORTH
WITH YOUR MOWER.
>> THIS MAP WILL BE THE FIRST
LOOK ANYONE HAS EVER HAD AT THE
ENTIRE WRECK SITE--
15 SQUARE MILES.
>> WE'RE LOOKING
AT A BIGGER AREA THAN EVER
BEFORE, AND ALL OF THAT IS GOING
TO GET STITCHED TOGETHER INTO
THE FINAL MOSAIC.
>> AFTER A CENTURY IN THE
DARKNESS, EVERY UNKNOWN OBJECT,
EVERY MISSING PIECE OF
"TITANIC" IS ABOUT TO BE
REVEALED.
IT'S TIME TO MAKE THE MAP AND
EXPLORE WHAT NO ONE HAS SEEN
FOR A HUNDRED YEARS.
COMING UP, NEW WRECKAGE
FULLY REVEALED FOR THE FIRST
TIME. SOUTH OF THE STERN, A POLE
LYING ON TOP OF A PIECE OF
STEEL.
SIZE: THE COMPLETE POLE WAS
OVER 100 FEET TALL.
IDENTIFYING FEATURE: RUSTED
STEEL GIVES WAY TO 15 FEET OF
TEAK WOOD, TIPPED WITH A METAL
SPIKE. WHAT IS IT?
THE TOP OF "TITANIC'S" MAST,
WITH A LIGHTNING ROD AT THE TIP.
A DISTINCTIVE VISUAL FEATURE OF
"TITANIC" NEVER BEFORE
IDENTIFIED.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
>> THE MOST AMBITIOUS
EXPEDITION TO "TITANIC" EVER
ATTEMPTED IS SEARCHING FOR
EVERY MISSING PIECE OF
WRECKAGE, AND, FOR THE FIRST
TIME, MAPPING THE ENTIRE
15-SQUARE-MILE WRECK SITE.
>> THE DEBRIS FIELD,
IT'S HOLY GROUND.
WHEN INVESTIGATORS ARRIVE AT
THE SCENE OF A DISASTER, THE
FIRST AND FOREMOST THING IS TO
MAP THE DEBRIS.
YOU WANT TO HAVE A COMPLETE
RECORD OF WHERE EVERY PIECE
CAME TO REST BEFORE IT IS THEN
BROUGHT TO THE HANGAR AND
SQUEEZED FOR MORE SECRETS.
>> TO MAP "TITANIC,"
TWO AND A HALF MILES DOWN, THE
TEAM IS USING A PAIR OF SMART
ROBOTS NICKNAMED GINGER AND
MARY ANN...
>> WE CLEAR BELOW?
>> AUTONOMOUS UNDERWATER
VEHICLES--AUVs.
>> WITH THE AUVs, WITH MARY ANN
AND GINGER, WE'VE ESSENTIALLY,
I MEAN, THIS IS A WHOLE NEW ERA
OF SHIPWRECK EXPLORATION AND
OCEAN EXPLORATION.
NOTHING'S BEEN DONE LIKE THAT
BEFORE, EVER, IN THE DEEP SEA.
>> READY TO LAUNCH!
>> IT WILL TAKE OVER A WEEK TO
GATHER THE DATA.
>> AS I SPEAK RIGHT NOW,
THEY'RE DOWN THERE DOING THEIR
THING ON THEIR OWN, AND WHEN THE
PROGRAM TELLS THEM TO, THEY'LL
COME BACK UP, AND WE'LL CATCH
'EM, AND WE'LL GET THEIR DATA.
>> GINGER'S AWAY.
>> RUNNING BACK-TO-BACK 20-HOUR
MISSIONS, THE AUVs DON'T STOP
FOR MEALS OR SLEEP.
>> RIGHT NOW THE
HUMANS ARE TRYING AS HARD AS
THEY CAN TO KEEP UP WITH THE
VEHICLES.
[ALARM SOUNDS]
>> THEN SUDDENLY, ONE
OF THE AUVs ABORTS.
>> WHAT'S GOING ON?
>> THE VEHICLE HAS
STOPPED RUNNING, AND IT CAME TO
THE SURFACE ON ITS OWN.
>> GINGER HAS RETURNED TO THE
SHIP, DRAGGING SOMETHING FROM
"TITANIC'S" WRECK SITE BEHIND
HER.
>> GREG AND I, WHO WERE
ON THE BACK DECK, BOTH NOTICE
THAT THERE'S A COUPLE OF LINES,
THAT WE CAN SEE THESE TWO LINES
TRAILING FROM THE VEHICLE.
AND WE'RE STUNNED.
>> WE DON'T HAVE OPTIONS--
AND WE GOTTA HAVE OPTIONS.
>> THE BOAT GOES OFF,
FINDS THE VEHICLE, BRINGS
IT BACK OVER TO THE SHIP, AND
AT THE END OF IT IS A LINE
SHOOTING STRAIGHT DOWN THROUGH
THE WATER, LIKE IT HAS
SOMETHING HANGING FROM IT.
>> A PIECE OF THE WRECK?
OR SOMETHING ELSE?
>> PULL ON IT!
>> WE KEEP ON PULLING THIS
LINE AND RECOVERING IT.
AND LO AND BEHOLD, WHAT WE'RE
EVENTUALLY RECOVERING ON BOARD
THE DECK IS A LARGE LEAD ANCHOR
FROM A PREVIOUS EXPEDITION.
>> THANKS TO THIS UGLY OLD
ANCHOR, BEAUTIFUL GINGER WAS
ALMOST LOST.
>> I THINK IT WEIGHED 4 OR 5
POUNDS LESS THAN OUR
BUOYANCY PROFILE.
SO IF IT HAD CARRIED UP ANOTHER
HANDFUL OF MUCK, IT PROBABLY
WOULD HAVE ANCHORED OUR
TWO-MILLION-DOLLAR VEHICLE TO
THE BOTTOM OF THE OCEAN.
>> AFTER A QUICK INSPECTION AND
FRESHENING UP, GINGER REJOINS
MARY ANN, AND THE MAPPING
RESUMES.
BUT UNTIL THEY HAVE THAT
MAP, WITH HALF THE WRECK SITE
STILL UNEXPLORED, QUESTIONS
ABOUT HOW "TITANIC" BROKE UP,
AND WHETHER SHE WAS A WEAK,
BADLY DESIGNED SHIP, WILL
REMAIN UNANSWERED.
ONE CRITICAL FACTOR IN THE
DISASTER IS NOT OPEN TO
QUESTION AT ALL: THE WEATHER.
THE NIGHT OF APRIL 14, 1912,
IT'S EXCEPTIONAL.
>> THE CALMEST OCEAN
THAT SAILORS ON BOARD, WHO HAD
BEEN TO SEA THEIR ENTIRE
CAREERS, HAD EVER SEEN IN THEIR
YEARS OF SERVICE.
NO MOON.
SO THEY HAD NO LIGHT, EXCEPT FOR
STARLIGHT.
>> NO MOON AND FLAT CALM ARE
STUNNINGLY BEAUTIFUL--
YET, A DEADLY COMBINATION.
>> BECAUSE IT WAS
THAT GLASSY SMOOTH, YOU HAVE NO
WAVES, NO BREAKING OF ANY FOAM
AROUND THE BASE OF AN ICEBERG.
>> LOOKOUT FREDERICK FLEET SEES
A MASS OF BLACKNESS IN FRONT OF
THE SHIP.
HE DOESN'T SEE THE BERG, WHAT HE
SEES IS THE ABSENCE OF STARS AND
AN INTERRUPTION IN THE HORIZON.
HE RINGS THE BELL 3 TIMES,
RACES TO THE TELEPHONE, AND
SAYS, "ICE RIGHT AHEAD."
WITHIN SECONDS THE "TITANIC"
HAS COLLIDED WITH THE ICEBERG.
[EXPLOSION]
>> HOW STRONGLY YOU FELT THE
COLLISION DEPENDED ON WHERE YOU
WERE IN THE SHIP.
HIGH UP IN FIRST CLASS, IT'S
POSSIBLE GEORGE AND MAYBELLE
THORNE WEREN'T EVEN AWARE OF IT.
LOWER DOWN IN SECOND CLASS,
FRANZ PULBAUM PROBABLY NOTICED
SOME VIBRATION.
THIRD CLASS PASSENGERS LIKE
MARGARET DEVANEY WOULD HAVE
FELT THE GREATEST IMPACT.
>> THERE'S ONLY ONE SURVIVING
EYEWITNESS TO THE ACTUAL POINT
OF DAMAGE: FIREMAN FREDERICK
BARRETT IN BOILER ROOM 6.
WHAT BARRETT SEES WILL LATER
PROVE CRITICAL TO UNDERSTANDING
"TITANIC'S" SINKING.
>> NUMEROUS COMPARTMENTS ARE
OPENED TO THE SEA, AND THEY NOW
BEGIN TO FLOOD.
>> IT'S NOT LONG BEFORE THEY
DETERMINE THAT THE WOUND IS
FATAL AND THE SHIP IS GOING TO
FOUNDER.
>> IT TOOK LESS THAN 60 SECONDS
TO SEAL "TITANIC'S" FATE.
SHE WILL HANG ON FOR TWO HOURS
AND 40 MINUTES, AND THEN SHE'S
GONE--LEAVING QUESTIONS...
SUSPICIONS...
AND MYSTERIES.
A CENTURY LATER, SOME THINGS
ARE KNOWN.
IN THIS HANGAR, WHERE THE TEAM
IS CONSTRUCTING A VIRTUAL WRECK
SITE, SMALL TRAILS OF KNOWLEDGE
SHOW WHERE PREVIOUS EXPEDITIONS
HAVE SEARCHED.
BUT EVEN AFTER NEARLY 20
EXPEDITIONS, HALF THE SITE IS
STILL UNEXPLORED.
>> AND THERE'S SO MUCH MORE OUT
THERE--WE SUSPECT--BUT THE
DATA HASN'T COME BACK YET.
>> THE DATA THAT'S NEEDED--
THE MAP--IS WHAT THIS
EXPEDITION IS ALL ABOUT.
AFTER DAYS OF MARATHON AUV
RUNS, THEY'RE GETTING THE FINAL
DOWNLOAD TO PRINT OUT THE FIRST
VERSION.
>> DATA CABLE HAS BEEN PLUGGED
IN.
>> HERE WE GO.
>> RIGHT NOW WE'RE TRYING TO
PRINT OUT THE SONAR SCAN MAP
THAT THE AUVs CREATED.
>> A NUMBER OF US GATHERED TO
VIEW WHAT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN--
THESE GUYS HAVE BEEN WAITING
FOR, FOR LITERALLY DECADES,
A PROPER MAP OF "TITANIC."
>> SEE, LOOK AT THIS THING--
HOLY [BLEEP].
HEY, LOOK AT THAT!
>> WHAT WE SEE SO FAR IS REALLY
EXCITING, AND REALLY PROMISING,
THAT WE'VE MAPPED FAR AND WIDE.
>> ALL THIS STUFF IS BRAND-NEW
TO US.
>> THERE'S A LOT OF ARTIFACTS
SCATTERED.
>> YEP, YEP.
>> OBJECT AFTER OBJECT, NEVER
BEFORE SEEN.
>> THEY'RE HUGE--SOME OF THEM
LIKE 3 STORIES.
>> THE FIRST VERSION OF THE MAP
IS JUST A PAPER PRINTOUT.
BUT WHEN IT'S FULLY PROCESSED
BY THE COMPUTER, THIS IS WHAT
IT REVEALS.
THE BOW SECTION, POINTING
NORTHEAST...
HALF A MILE TO THE SOUTH, THE
DEVASTATED STERN, FACING THE
OPPOSITE DIRECTION.
AND, ALL AROUND, DEBRIS.
COUNTLESS SMALL FRAGMENTS...
SCORES OF HUGE PIECES...
MOSTLY TO THE EAST OF THE
STERN.
>> TO ME, IT'S ALL ABOUT A MAP,
YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT YOU
CAN ROLL OUT AND PUT ON A TABLE
AND POINT TO AND DRAW ON.
IT'S TOUGH TO TOP THAT.
>> WITH THIS MAP, THEY CAN NOW
SEND CAMERAS TO PHOTOGRAPH THE
MYSTERY PIECES.
AND HUMAN EYES WILL GET THEIR
FIRST LOOK AT THEM IN A HUNDRED
YEARS.
>> WHAT'S THIS?
>> I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS.
>> HOT DIGGITY DAMN!
>> COMING UP, NEW WRECKAGE FULLY
REVEALED FOR THE FIRST TIME.
JUST NORTHEAST OF THE STERN,
A STRUCTURE OF MULTIPLE DECKS.
SIZE: 3 STORIES TALL,
50 FEET ACROSS--HALF THE
WIDTH OF THE ENTIRE SHIP.
IDENTIFYING FEATURE: THE
U-SHAPE SURROUNDING A HUGE
CAVITY. WHAT IS IT?
AN AIR AND LIGHT SHAFT
VENTILATING "TITANIC'S" MASSIVE
ENGINES. A PIECE OF THE MISSING
MIDDLE NEVER BEFORE IDENTIFIED.
>> THE MOST AMBITIOUS "TITANIC"
EXPEDITION EVER MADE HAS
COMPLETED THE FIRST SONAR MAP
OF THE ENTIRE WRECK SITE.
>> TO BE ABLE TO GO AND SEE AN
AREA OF 3 BY 5 MILES,
FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE DEEP OCEAN
IS INCREDIBLE.
HAVING THAT IMAGE IS SOMETHING
THAT EVERY EXPEDITION'S ALWAYS
WANTED.
>> THIS ONE IS A HUGE ONE.
>> IT'S THE FIRST TIME ANYONE'S
BEEN ABLE TO VIEW THE COMPLETE
SCENE OF THE DISASTER.
AND IT'S FULL OF OBJECTS THAT
MAY BE PIECES OF "TITANIC"
NEVER BEFORE SEEN.
>> WE ARE USING THE MAP TO
IDENTIFY WHAT THE PRINCIPAL
TARGETS ARE.
WHAT DO WE WANT TO GET?
LET'S PRIORITIZE THEM.
>> WITH THE BENEFIT OF THIS
MAP, WE CAN NOW GO OUT WITH THE
ROV AND DO, YOU KNOW, TARGETED,
HIGH-DEF VIDEO FOOTAGE TO
IDENTIFY SOME OBJECTS THAT
HAVEN'T BEEN IMAGED BEFORE.
THIS IS GOING TO BE AMAZING.
>> THESE ARE DEFINITELY OBJECTS.
>> HUNDREDS OF UNKNOWN PIECES.
THE TEAM HAS SELECTED
PROMISING TARGETS, AND NOW
THE ROV IS GOING IN WITH
CAMERAS TO GET CLOSE-UP IMAGES.
>> TURN TO YOUR PORT.
THAT'S WHERE I WANT TO BE.
>> THE ROV APPROACHES THE FIRST
TARGET. LYING IN
FRONT OF THE BOW, THE FORWARD
HATCH COVER.
WHEN THE BOW HIT BOTTOM, THE
COVER FLEW OFF AND LANDED IN
THE MUD.
FAR TO THE SOUTH AND EAST,
A TRIANGLE OF HUGE OBJECTS.
TWO WERE IDENTIFIED BY THE
2005 HISTORY EXPEDITION--GIANT
PIECES OF DOUBLE BOTTOM, THE
SHIP'S SPINE, 70 FEET OF
"TITANIC'S" HULL RIGHT WHERE
SHE BROKE.
AT THE EDGES OF THE BREAK,
HOLES WHERE RIVETS GAVE WAY.
THE THIRD--A PILE AS BIG
AS A 3-STORY BUILDING--
IS A MYSTERY.
>> OK, HERE WE GO. WE'RE
GETTING REALLY CLOSE NOW.
>> FIRST GLIMPSED IN 2005, THIS
PILE HAS NEVER BEEN DOCUMENTED
IN SUCH DETAIL BEFORE.
CLOSER TO THE STERN,
A CLUSTER OF 5 BOILERS,
WEIGHING OVER 50 TONS EACH.
IN THESE MASSIVE CYLINDERS,
COAL WAS BURNED TO CREATE THE
STEAM THAT POWERED THE ENTIRE
SHIP.
HIDDEN NEAR ONE OF THE
BOILERS, A FRAME FOR A
REVOLVING DOOR--WRECKAGE
NEVER SEEN BEFORE NOW.
IT WAS SUPPLIED BY THE SAME MAN
WHO DESIGNED THE WITCHING WAVES
RIDE, THEOPHILUS VAN KANNEL--
PASSENGER FRANZ PULBAUM'S BOSS.
NORTHEAST OF THE BOILERS,
A HUGE SECTION OF "TITANIC'S"
SIDE, CALLED SHELL PLATING.
LONGER THAN 60 FEET, AND
PROBABLY WEIGHING OVER 40 TONS,
ITS INCH-THICK STEEL IS BENT
90 DEGREES BY THE VIOLENCE.
THE TOP OF THE NUMBER TWO
FUNNEL...
[HORN BLASTS]
PANCAKED ALMOST BEYOND
RECOGNITION.
THE BRONZE STEAM WHISTLES GIVE
IT AWAY.
JUST OFF THE SIDE OF THE
STERN, STILL ANOTHER GIGANTIC
PILE, OVER 100 FEET ACROSS.
IT'S A TANGLE OF MULTIPLE
DECKS, NEVER IDENTIFIED.
>> NORTH OF THE STERN, A
LOW-PRESSURE ENGINE CYLINDER,
PART OF "TITANIC'S" POWER PLANT.
AND, RIGHT NEXT TO THE
CYLINDER, A TOWERING PILE AT
LEAST 30 FEET TALL--THE SIZE OF
AN APARTMENT BUILDING.
MORE MYSTERY DEBRIS, PROBABLY
>> WE ARE STARTING TO NOTICE
ADDITIONAL PIECES IN THE DEBRIS
FIELD THAT HELP FILL IN THE
MISSING AREAS OF THE WRECK AND
THAT HOLD SOME INTERESTING
CLUES ON HOW THE SHIP BROKE UP
AND SANK, WE HOPE.
>> THERE ARE MULTIPLE BIG
PIECES THAT WE DIDN'T KNOW
ABOUT, CERTAINLY A LOT OF CLUES
IN WHAT WE'VE SEEN THAT WILL
HELP US PIECE TOGETHER THE
DETAILS OF HOW "TITANIC"
ACTUALLY MADE ITS WAY TO THE
BOTTOM.
>> RIGHT TO THE FRAME--PUT IT
IN THE FRAME.
>> NEARLY A WEEK OF DIVES
FOLLOWS.
OBJECT AFTER OBJECT IS IMAGED
FOR THE FIRST TIME.
>> BUT WHAT IS IT, THOUGH?
>> THIS IS THE BLOCK THAT WE
SURVEYED.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
>> FINALLY, ALMOST A MONTH
AFTER THEY STARTED OUT, THE
LAST DIVE ENDS.
>> ALL RIGHT. GOOD.
GREAT JOB, GUYS! GREAT JOB!
[APPLAUSE]
>> THE EXPEDITION HAS DONE ITS
JOB. AT LAST, A CENTURY AFTER
"TITANIC" SANK, A COMPLETE MAP
OF THE SITE NOW EXISTS, AS DOES
HIGH-DEFINITION VIDEO OF ALL
THE NEWLY DISCOVERED DEBRIS.
THE FIRST STEP, GATHERING
INFORMATION, HAS BEEN A SUCCESS.
NEXT COMES THE MOST IMPORTANT
PART: THE LONG PROCESS OF
FIGURING OUT WHAT ALL THESE NEW
CLUES MEAN.
>> NOW, OUR ANALYSIS CAN REALLY
TAKE OFF.
>> BEFORE WE'RE DONE,
WE'RE STARTING TO DO CSI:
"TITANIC."
YOU KNOW, SO WE'RE REALLY
GETTING DOWN TO THE
NITTY-GRITTY.
>> WHAT HAPPENED THAT NIGHT?
WHY ARE CERTAIN SECTIONS OF THE
SHIP IN CERTAIN PLACES?
>> WE HOPE, PIECING THE SHIP
BACK TOGETHER, TO UNLOCK THE
MYSTERIES OF WHAT REALLY
HAPPENED THAT NIGHT.
>> WHY DID THE SUPPOSEDLY
UNSINKABLE SHIP GO DOWN SO FAST?
DID "TITANIC" HAVE DEFECTIVE
MATERIALS OR A DESIGN FLAW?
THE TEAM'S SEARCH FOR ANSWERS
>> THE MOST AMBITIOUS
EXPEDITION EVER TO EXPLORE
"TITANIC" IS BACK IN PORT, WITH
HOURS OF HI-DEF IMAGERY AND THE
FIRST COMPLETE MAP OF THE
ENTIRE WRECK SITE.
>> THE MAP ITSELF OBVIOUSLY IS
A FIRST-TIME-EVER WORK PRODUCT.
PEOPLE HAVE BEEN CLAMORING FOR
THIS FOR, ON "TITANIC," FOR
LITERALLY DECADES.
>> NOW COMES THE CRITICAL PHASE.
>> WE'RE GETTING TOGETHER TO
BEGIN THE ANALYSIS.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
>> FOR THE FIRST TIME, THIS
GROUP IS REALLY LOOKING AT THE
DATA AND THE IMAGERY THAT WE
BROUGHT BACK.
IT'LL BE INTERESTING TO SEE
WHAT PEOPLE THINK ABOUT IT.
>> WHAT'S GOING TO BE GOOD
ABOUT THIS IS NOW, WITH THIS
LEVEL OF DETAIL, WHAT LOOKS
LIKE CHAOS ACTUALLY HAS
PATTERNS.
>> IT'S UP TO THIS TEAM TO
DECIPHER THOSE PATTERNS.
EVERYONE IS INTERESTED IN THE
SINKING.
BUT IN ADDITION, EACH MEMBER
WILL USE THE MAP AND VIDEO FOR
THEIR OWN SPECIALTY.
>> EVERYBODY'S SKILL SET
AND DATA, COMING TOGETHER TO
GIVE...
>> U.S. GOVERNMENT SCIENTISTS
JAMES DELGADO AND DAVE ALBERG
WILL STUDY "TITANIC" AS AN
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE.
>> SAY, OK, THIS IS
HOW IT'S CHANGING...
>> WOODS HOLE OCEANOGRAPHER
DAVE GALLO WILL EXAMINE THE SEA
FLOOR AROUND THE WRECK.
BILL LANGE WILL CONCENTRATE ON
THE IMAGERY, WORKING TO CREATE
WIDE-ANGLE VIEWS OF "TITANIC"
THAT HAVE NEVER BEEN SEEN
BEFORE.
>> THOSE OPTICAL MOSAICS...
>> PARKS STEPHENSON WILL PURSUE
TWO SEPARATE LINES OF INQUIRY:
ONE, HE'LL INVESTIGATE THE
STRENGTH OF "TITANIC'S" RIVETS.
TWO, HE'LL WORK WITH MARINE
ARTIST KEN MARSCHALL AND RMS
TITANIC HISTORIAN BILL SAUDER
TO IDENTIFY NEW PIECES OF
WRECKAGE.
>> THE SPATIAL RELATIONSHIPS
THAT EACH PIECE HAS TO EACH
OTHER IS GOING TO BE CRITICAL.
>> WHEN ALL THIS WORK IS DONE,
IT WILL REPRESENT THE GREATEST
BODY OF SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE
EVER ASSEMBLED ON "TITANIC."
>> THE ANALYSIS, BECAUSE IT
HASN'T BEEN DONE BEFORE, IT
COULD TAKE MONTHS, IT COULD
TAKE YEARS.
SO WE'RE REALLY ANXIOUS TO GET
AT THAT STEP.
>> NOW THE TEAM SPLITS UP, AND
EVERYONE GETS TO WORK ON THEIR
OWN.
>> IN VIRGINIA, MARINE
ARCHAEOLOGISTS JIM DELGADO AND
DAVE ALBERG ARE BEGINNING TO
MONITOR "TITANIC" AS AN
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE.
>> YOU GET THAT SENSE OF THE
EVIDENCE OF PEOPLE IN THE FORM
OF THEIR BELONGINGS, THEIR
SHOES--PARTICULARLY THE
SHOES AND THE REALIZATION...
THE GOAL OF MARINE
ARCHEOLOGY IS TO BETTER
UNDERSTAND THE PAST, IN
PARTICULAR, HUMAN BEINGS IN THE
PAST, THROUGH WHAT'S LEFT
BEHIND.
EVERYTHING THAT WAS ENCLOSED IN
THAT SHIP, NOW SPREAD OUT ON
THE SEABED, TELLS US ABOUT THEM.
>> THIS ISN'T JUST AN
INTELLECTUAL EXERCISE, THIS WAS
A TRAGEDY OF THE FIRST ORDER.
I THINK THAT WORKING WITH THE
ARTIFACTS RECOVERED FROM
"TITANIC" HAS FILLED IN A LOT
OF PERSONAL DETAILS ABOUT THE
PASSENGERS WHO HAVE BEEN LOST,
AND WHICH WE WOULD NEVER KNOW
UNLESS THOSE ARTIFACTS HAD BEEN
RECOVERED.
>> OVER 5,000 ARTIFACTS HAVE
BEEN RETRIEVED SINCE 1985.
THEY ARE PRESERVED AND
EXHIBITED BY RMS TITANIC,
INCORPORATED.
>> CURATOR OF THE COLLECTION IS
ALEX KLINGELHOFER.
>> IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY
AT AN ORDINARY,
EVERYDAY OBJECT, THEN YOU
SUDDENLY SEE THE WORLD OPEN UP
AND YOU HAVE A COMPLETELY NEW
STORY, AN INSIGHT INTO THE LIFE
OF ONE OF THE PASSENGERS ON
"TITANIC."
>> AMONG THE PASSENGERS
WHOSE ARTIFACTS HAVE
BEEN RECOVERED, FRANZ PULBAUM.
HIS SUITCASE HELD HIS
TAPE MEASURE...
AND STOCK CERTIFICATE FROM THE
WITCHING WAVES COMPANY.
>> GEORGE AND MAYBELLE THORNE'S
BAG CONTAINED A LUGGAGE RECEIPT
FROM SRI LANKA...
DOCUMENTS FROM BOMBAY...
EGYPT...
JAPAN.
AND A LETTER THAT REVEALS A
SCANDAL THEY WERE KEEPING
SECRET.
>> HE WAS TAKING A
ROUND-THE-WORLD TRIP WITH A
WOMAN THAT WAS NOT HIS WIFE.
SHE'S MARRIED TO ONE MAN IN NEW
YORK AND TRAVELING AROUND THE
WORLD WITH ANOTHER MAN WHO'S
NOT HER HUSBAND.
>> TO KEEP THE SECRET, GEORGE
HAS BEEN FORGING HIS NAME.
DOCUMENTS IN HIS BAG REVEAL
HE'S REALLY GEORGE ROSENSHINE.
>> MARGARET DEVANEY'S STORY IS
ALSO BROUGHT TO LIFE BY AN
ARTIFACT--A POCKET KNIFE,
GIVEN TO HER BY HER BROTHER AS
SHE WAS LEAVING HOME IN IRELAND.
THE NIGHT "TITANIC" HIT THE
ICEBERG, MARGARET WAS PEELING
APPLES USING THIS KNIFE.
KEEPING THE KNIFE WITH HER
WOULD PROVE TO HAVE PROFOUND
CONSEQUENCES.
>> AND SO WHAT LIES DOWN THERE
TODAY IS A TIME CAPSULE OF 1912.
WHO THEY WERE, HOW THEY LIVED,
AND IN SOME CIRCUMSTANCES EVEN
HOW THEY DIED.
A DAY AND A HALF AWAY FROM
THOSE DREAMS STARTING...
>> WHILE THE ARCHAEOLOGISTS
START THEIR WORK, PARKS
STEPHENSON IS ABOUT TO SHOW KEN
MARSCHALL AND BILL SAUDER WHAT
THE EXPEDITION BROUGHT BACK.
>> I COULD NOT CONTACT BILL OR
KEN QUICK ENOUGH BECAUSE I HAD
SEEN THINGS IN THE IMAGERY THAT
JUST BLEW MY MIND.
>> THEY MEET IN PARKS' HOME
TOWN OF SAN DIEGO, AT ONE OF
HIS FAVORITE SPOTS: THE
HISTORIC STEAMSHIP "BERKELEY."
>> THE ARCHITECTURE ABOARD,
ESPECIALLY IN HER
SALOON DECK, IS VERY
REMINISCENT OF "TITANIC."
SO WHAT BETTER PLACE TO LOOK AT
THE IMAGERY THAN IN AN
ENVIRONMENT THAT EVOKED THAT
AGE?
WE HAD THESE BEAUTIFUL TIE-INS
TO THE "TITANIC" STORY RIGHT
THERE AS WE DO OUR ANALYSIS.
I THINK ONE OF THE GENIUS
THINGS ABOUT THIS EXPEDITION,
SOMETHING THAT'S NEVER BEEN
DONE BEFORE, WAS THE WAY THEY
CREATED A MAP, WHICH I'M GONNA
PULL UP RIGHT HERE. NOW,
HERE YOU SEE ESSENTIALLY THE
FULL WRECK SITE.
BUT WHAT I CAN DO HERE IS I CAN
ZOOM IN ON AREAS.
>> OH, MY GOD...
>> THIS IS LIKE LOOKING AT THE
DARK SIDE OF THE MOON FOR THE
FIRST TIME.
>> YES!
>> WE NOW CAN SEE HOW THE
PIECES LANDED ON THE BOTTOM...
>> RIGHT.
>> WHICH IS, YOU KNOW,
A CRITICAL PART
OF ANY CRIME SCENE.
>> AND WHAT'S REALLY
INTERESTING IS LOOK AT HOW IT
SHOWS ALL THE BOTTOM SCALLOPING.
YOU SEE THAT?
IT'S LIKE THESE ITEMS ARE
ACTUALLY SITTING IN IMPACT
BASINS.
>> JUST LIKE A METEOROID HAD
HIT THE MOON.
>> RIGHT.
>> COPERNICUS.
>> OK, HERE'S SOMETHING I'M
REALLY EXCITED TO SHOW TO YOU.
I WANT YOU TO TAKE A LOOK AT
THIS.
>> LOOK AT THE HEIGHT OF THAT
THING!
>> IT LOOKS LIKE A BLOCK OF
APARTMENTS THAT JUST...
>> YEAH, WHICH REALLY...
>> FELL OUT OF THE SKY.
>> THIS IS A MASSIVE PIECE!
>> ONCE WE HAVE IDENTIFIED WHAT
THESE PIECES ARE, THEN WE CAN
START OUR PROCESS OF PUTTING
THE SHIP BACK TOGETHER.
>> MMM.
>> THERE'S A LOT OF MATERIAL
HERE--I MEAN, A LOT.
>> OVER THE COMING MONTHS, KEN
MARSCHALL AND BILL SAUDER WILL
STUDY HOURS OF UNDERWATER VIDEO.
AND PARKS WILL INVESTIGATE
WHETHER WEAK RIVETS MAY HAVE
BEEN A FACTOR IN "TITANIC'S"
SINKING.
EXPEDITION VIDEO REVEALS
SOME PLACES WHERE RIVETS BROKE
AND POPPED OUT OF THEIR HOLES.
BUT PARKS HAS ALSO SEEN OTHER
PLACES WHERE INCH-THICK STEEL
IS BENT INTO AN S-CURVE--YET
THE RIVETS HELD AND DID NOT
POP.
>> WERE "TITANIC'S" RIVETS
DEFECTIVE?
>> THERE'S SOME THINGS GOING ON
HERE THAT WE DON'T UNDERSTAND.
>> HOW AND WHY DID "TITANIC"
BREAK?
WERE THERE ERRORS IN DESIGN?
THE TEAM IS CLOSING IN ON THE
MYSTERY.
>> A HUNDRED YEARS AFTER THE
SINKING, THE SONAR MAP AND ROV
VIDEO ARE HELPING THE DIFFERENT
TEAMS CLOSE IN ON A NEW PICTURE
OF HOW "TITANIC" SANK,
FIGURE OUT HOW THE SHIP BROKE
APART, AND WHETHER IT HAD A
FATAL FLAW.
SOME EXPERTS BELIEVE THAT IT
DID--ITS RIVETS.
EXPEDITION VIDEO SHOWS EMPTY
HOLES WHERE RIVETS GAVE WAY.
BUT IN OTHER PLACES, DESPITE
RADICAL BENDING, RIVETS HELD
STRONG.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT
RIVETS, PARKS STEPHENSON IS IN
SEATTLE WITH "TITANIC"
HISTORIAN DANIEL BUTLER.
>> PARKS, HOW YOU DOING?
>> BLACKSMITH STEVE HOWELL
AND BUTLER HAVE
PRODUCED HISTORICALLY CORRECT
REPLICAS OF "TITANIC'S" RIVETS,
USING HUNDRED-YEAR-OLD IRON.
>> I WAS ABLE TO GET THE
SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE RIVETS
THAT WERE USED IN THE "TITANIC"
FROM HARLAND AND
WOLFE IN BELFAST.
>> THE AGE OF THE MATERIAL IS
FROM THE EARLY 1900s, BUT IT'S
VERY, UH, CLOSE TO THE SAME
SPECIES OF WROUGHT IRON USED IN
THE "TITANIC."
>> "TITANIC" WAS MADE OF STEEL
PLATES HELD TOGETHER BY RIVETS--
3 MILLION OF THEM.
SOME BELIEVE THOSE RIVETS WERE
MADE OF INFERIOR METAL, AND
THEY FAILED TOO EASILY DURING
THE COLLISION, OPENING A SEAM
BETWEEN TWO PLATES.
THIS SCENARIO IS BORNE OUT
BY TESTIMONY FROM THE ONLY
SURVIVING EYEWITNESS TO THE
DAMAGE: FIREMAN FREDERICK
BARRETT DOWN IN BOILER ROOM 6.
>> HE DESCRIBES
WATER COMING IN VERY FAST, TWO
FEET ABOVE THE PLATES ON WHICH
HE WAS STANDING.
IT PUTS IT AT A JUNCTION
BETWEEN TWO OF THE PLATES THAT
MAKE UP THE SIDE OF THE HULL,
WHICH IMPLIES THE RIVETS
FAILED FOR WHATEVER REASON.
>> SO, TO INVESTIGATE THE WEAK
RIVET THEORY, THE MEN ARE
PLANNING A TEST.
STEVE HOWELL HAS BUILT AN EXACT
REPLICA OF "TITANIC'S" SEAM,
BASED ON ORIGINAL BLUEPRINTS:
ONE-INCH STEEL PLATE HELD
TOGETHER BY RIVETS MADE OF
HUNDRED-YEAR-OLD IRON.
>> IT'S VIRTUALLY A POUND AND A
HALF OF WROUGHT IRON PER RIVET.
IN ONE SHOT YOU'VE GOT TO
TAKE THAT AND JUST POW, AND
REALLY JUST FORCE THAT INTO
THAT HOLE AS QUICKLY AS
POSSIBLE.
>> AT ONE FOOT BY FOUR FEET,
THIS RIVETED STEEL SECTION IS
LIKE A TINY PIECE OF "TITANIC'S"
SIDE--YET EVEN SO, IT WEIGHS
300 POUNDS.
>> WE'RE READY TO LOAD OUT,
GUYS.
>> NEXT, THEY'LL TAKE THE
SAMPLES TO THE UNIVERSITY OF
WASHINGTON MATERIALS SCIENCE
LAB TO PUT "TITANIC'S" RIVETS TO
THE TEST.
>> THE CIVIL ENGINEERING
DEPARTMENT HAS MACHINES SET UP
THAT TEST STRESS.
WE'RE GOING TO USE IT TO TEST
THE STRENGTH OF OUR "TITANIC"
SPECIMENS AGAINST FORCES THAT
WOULD HAVE BEEN ENCOUNTERED
DURING THE COLLISION.
>> THE MACHINE, A HYDRAULIC
TEST FRAME, WILL APPLY CRUSHING
FORCE TO THE SAMPLE--JUST
LIKE THE ICEBERG WOULD HAVE
APPLIED FORCE TO "TITANIC."
THEY KNOW RIVETS WILL BREAK--
THE QUESTION IS, HOW WILL THEY
BREAK?
>> THE PREVAILING THOUGHT IS
THAT ONCE A RIVET HEAD GOES,
THEY ALL UNZIP.
>> ACCORDING TO THIS THEORY,
IT'S LIKE A HOUSE OF CARDS;
AS SOON AS ONE FAILS, THE REST
IMMEDIATELY COLLAPSE.
NO ONE WILL EVER KNOW
EXACTLY HOW MUCH FORCE THE
ICEBERG EXERTED.
BUT IF THE CRITICS ARE RIGHT,
ONCE ONE RIVET FAILS, THE
OTHERS WILL ALSO FAIL IN QUICK
SUCCESSION, UNZIPPING THE
ENTIRE SEAM.
>> SO, VINCE, YOU READY TO START
APPLYING? GO AHEAD.
>> [INDISTINCT]
10,000 POUNDS.
>> WOW.
>> 20,000.
>> LOT OF COMPRESSION STRESS ON
THE PLATE ITSELF.
>> A RIVET POPS.
>> 30,000.
>> THE PRESSURE CONTINUES TO
RISE, BUT THE OTHER RIVETS
DON'T UNZIP.
THE STEEL HAS DEFORMED, BUT THE
SEAM IS STILL INTACT.
>> LOOKS LIKE THE
JOINT'S PRETTY STRONG.
>> WITH WROUGHT IRON RIVETS.
>> YEAH.
>> NOT A SIMPLE
FAILURE BY ANY MEANS.
>> NO...
>> "TITANIC'S" RIVETS DON'T
SEEM TO BE A FATAL FLAW.
BUT THERE'S ONE MORE TEST TO
PERFORM.
A FRIEND OF PARKS, MARITIME
HISTORIAN SIMON MILLS, HAS MADE
A STUNNING DISCOVERY: BURIED IN
BRITISH ARCHIVES, ORIGINAL
DOCUMENTS FROM DESIGNER THOMAS
ANDREWS' ASSISTANT, EDWARD
WILDING, SHOWING THAT IN
FEBRUARY 1912, A SEAM ON
"TITANIC" WAS CHANGED JUST
BEFORE SHE SAILED.
JANUARY 1912. JUST 3 MONTHS
BEFORE "TITANIC'S" MAIDEN
VOYAGE, HER SISTER SHIP,
"OLYMPIC," HITS A SEVERE STORM.
RIVET PROBLEMS CAUSE A SEAM TO
LEAK.
>> THEY HAD SUFFERED SOME
LOOSENED RIVETS AND SOME
SEEPING OF WATER THAT SENT HER
BACK TO THE DRY DOCK, WHERE
REPAIRS WERE MADE.
AND FOR "TITANIC," THEY DECIDED
THAT TO KEEP THIS FROM
HAPPENING TO HER, THEY WOULD
ADD A REINFORCING STRAP.
>> TO REINFORCE "TITANIC,"
RIVETS ARE DRILLED OUT,
AN EXTRA STRAP OF
STEEL IS ADDED, AND NEW RIVETS
PUT IN.
THIS ORIGINAL DRAWING SHOWS THE
NEW STEEL MARKED IN RED.
>> AND WHERE WAS THIS SEAM THAT
WAS CHANGED?
BOILER ROOM 6.
>> AT EXACTLY
THE SAME PLACE THAT BARRETT
HAD SEEN THIS WATER COMING IN.
>> WAS THIS LAST-MINUTE CHANGE
A TERRIBLE MISTAKE?
DID THE REDESIGN OF THE SEAM
CREATE A FATAL FLAW?
>> WE NEED TO TEST
THIS SEAM TO SEE IF THE
MODIFICATION MADE TO "TITANIC"
MADE HER WEAKER.
>> JUST LIKE THE ORIGINAL SEAM,
THE NEW SEAM WILL BE TESTED IN
THE SAME WAY.
>> LET'S GO AHEAD AND PUT THE
PRESSURE ON.
>> 10,000.
25,000 POUNDS.
>> THERE IT GOES.
>> IT'S ABOUT LIKE 35,000
POUNDS RIGHT NOW.
>> AGAIN, A RIVET POPS,
BUT THE OTHERS HOLD.
>> AT THIS POINT,
THAT'S STILL A WATERTIGHT SEAM.
>> THE IDEA OF THE RIVETS JUST
UNZIPPING, I DON'T SEE THAT YET.
>> NO. NO, NO. NO, NOT AT ALL.
>> AS A SINGLE RIVET FAILED,
THE OTHER RIVETS PICKED UP THE
LOAD.
>> NO UNZIPPING OF RIVETS, AND,
IF ANYTHING, THE MODIFIED SEAM
IS EVEN STRONGER THAN THE
ORIGINAL.
>> ...FROM RIVET TO RIVET.
>> NEITHER THE SEAM NOR THE
RIVETS APPEARS TO BE A FATAL
FLAW.
>> EVERY SINGLE
ONE OF OUR WROUGHT IRON RIVETS
HAD CRACKS IN THE HEAD FLAYING
AROUND THE EDGES.
YET AS IMPERFECT AS THEY WERE,
THOSE RIVETS OUTLASTED THE
STEEL PLATE.
>> PROBABLY, THE ICEBERG DID
OPEN UP A SEAM--BUT NOT BECAUSE
THE RIVETS OR DESIGN WERE
DEFECTIVE. THE FORCE WAS SIMPLY
OVERWHELMING.
BUT WHATEVER CAUSED THE SEAM
TO OPEN, WITH TOO FEW
LIFEBOATS, AT LEAST A THOUSAND
PEOPLE ARE NOW DOOMED.
FIRST-CLASS PASSENGERS, LIKE
GEORGE ROSENSHINE AND MAYBELLE
THORNE, HAVE THE BEST CHANCE.
THEY'RE FIRST TO GET THE WORD TO
EVACUATE.
BUT GEORGE WILL PROBABLY
HAVE TO STAY BEHIND.
THE RULE IS WOMEN AND CHILDREN
FIRST.
FOR WITCHING WAVES MECHANIC
FRANZ PULBAUM, THE ODDS ARE
GRIM. 92 PERCENT OF THE MEN
IN SECOND CLASS WILL DIE BEFORE
THIS NIGHT IS OUT.
AND IT DOESN'T LOOK GOOD FOR
IRISH EMIGRANT MARGARET DEVANEY
EITHER. EVEN THOUGH SHE'S
FEMALE, MORE THAN HALF THE
WOMEN IN THIRD CLASS WILL NOT
SURVIVE.
[PEOPLE SCREAMING]
EVER SINCE THE EXPEDITION
RETURNED, KEN MARSCHALL AND RMS
TITANIC HISTORIAN BILL SAUDER
HAVE BEEN TRYING TO IDENTIFY
NEW PIECES OF WRECKAGE.
ONE ESPECIALLY INTRIGUING
PIECE IS AN ENORMOUS PILE EAST
OF THE STERN.
>> TO COME ACROSS AN UNKNOWN
MASS OF DEBRIS THIS HUGE FOR
THE FIRST TIME, IT WAS LIKE
SKYROCKETS GOING OFF.
>> AFTER MONTHS OF WORK ON
THEIR OWN, THEY GET TOGETHER
AND COMPARE NOTES.
TO THE ORDINARY EYE, IT'S A
CONFUSING MASS OF TWISTED METAL.
BUT TO THESE EXPERTS, IT SPEAKS
VOLUMES.
>> WE'VE GOT ONE OF THESE VERY
IDENTIFIABLE LOOPED WATER
PRESSURE PIPES, WHICH THE THIRD
FUNNEL HAD MANY OF.
>> A PIECE OF PIPE WITH A
DISTINCTIVE HAIRPIN CURVE.
>> THERE'S THE EXPANSION JOINT,
THE COVER PLATE THAT ACTUALLY
GOES INTO THE MASS OF WRECKAGE.
IT'S AN INTEGRAL PART OF
WHATEVER THIS IS.
>> A BRASS PLATE THAT COVERED
THE EXPANSION JOINT, A SEAM IN
THE UPPER STRUCTURE.
>> WE'VE GOT A DECK LIGHT
MOUNTED SIDEWAYS TO A VERTICAL
BULKHEAD, AND THOSE ONLY
EXISTED ON BOAT DECK.
>> A DISTINCTIVE LIGHT FIXTURE
FROM THE VERY SAME AREA OF THE
SHIP AS THE CURVED PIPE AND
BRASS COVER PLATE.
>> WELL, I'VE GOT MY VOTE FOR
WHERE THIS PILE CAME FROM.
I SEE A LOT OF EVIDENCE FOR IT
BEING RIGHT THERE--UNDERNEATH
THE THIRD FUNNEL.
>> I AGREE, THERE'S NO QUESTION
THE CORE OF THIS OBJECT IS
BUILT AROUND THE NUMBER THREE
FUNNEL.
>> A HUGE NEW PIECE, NEVER
BEFORE IDENTIFIED.
>> THIS WAS A BIG CHUNK OF
"TITANIC" WE HAD NO IDEA
EXISTED.
>> THE PIECES OF THE PUZZLE ARE
STARTING TO FALL INTO PLACE.
WE'VE GOT THE ENTIRE BOTTOM
70 FEET OF MISSING SPACE HERE.
AND NOW WE'VE GOT THE TOP OF IT.
THIS IS STARTING TO TELL US
SOMETHING.
>> OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS,
THE TEAM IDENTIFIES OTHER MAJOR
CHUNKS OF "TITANIC'S" FRACTURE
ZONE.
A YEAR AFTER THE EXPEDITION,
THEY CAN NOW VIRTUALLY
REASSEMBLE THE MISSING MIDDLE.
THE TEAM IS CLOSING IN ON
THE MYSTERY, STARTING TO
REVERSE ENGINEER THE SINKING...
DECONSTRUCT THE BREAKUP...
AND LEARN IF "TITANIC" HAD A
FATAL FLAW.
>> IN THE YEAR SINCE THE
EXPEDITION, THE TEAM HAS BEEN
WORKING TO REVERSE ENGINEER THE
SINKING...
DECONSTRUCT THE BREAKUP...
AND LEARN IF "TITANIC" HAD A
FATAL FLAW.
AS THE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY
OF "TITANIC" APPROACHES, IN
WOODS HOLE, THE SCIENTISTS ARE
SHARING REVELATIONS FROM THEIR
WORK SO FAR.
OCEANOGRAPHER DAVE GALLO
LEADS OFF.
>> WHEN WE MOVED INTO THE AREA,
WE HAD A...
>> STUDYING THE SONAR MAP, HE'S
MADE A SHOCKING DISCOVERY.
>> THESE DUNES ARE HUGE. THAT'S
THE BOW HERE, AND YOU CAN SEE
MANY OF THESE DUNES ACTUALLY
DWARF THE SHIP ITSELF.
>> HUGE RIDGES OF SAND, NOT
PHOTOGRAPHED, BUT OBVIOUS ON
THE SONAR MAP, ARE CREEPING
INEXORABLY TOWARD "TITANIC."
>> THESE ARE LARGE AMOUNTS OF
SAND ACTUALLY MOVING ACROSS THE
SEA FLOOR.
SO YOU CAN IMAGINE IF THEY'RE
ACTIVE TODAY, ONE OF THESE
THINGS COULD RUN RIGHT OVER THE
TOP OF THE "TITANIC" DEBRIS
FIELD.
>> IT'S LONG BEEN ASSUMED THAT
THE WRECK WILL EVENTUALLY RUST
AWAY.
BUT PERHAPS "TITANIC'S" ULTIMATE
FATE IS TO BE BURIED.
>> COULD YOU SHOW THE TRACK OF
THAT DIVE...
>> NEXT, NOAA's JIM DELGADO
REPORTS ON THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL
WORK TO DATE.
>> EVERY PIECE OF THE
HULL HAS BEEN LOOKED AT.
IN TERMS OF WHERE THINGS ARE
LOCATED ON THE SEABED,
THERE ARE PATTERNS.
>> HEAVY SHIP PARTS ARE
CLUSTERED NEAR THE STERN...
LIGHTER DEBRIS, LIKE COAL AND
DISHES, FARTHER AWAY.
THEY PROBABLY TOOK LONGER TO
FALL AND WERE CARRIED BY THE
CURRENT.
>> THE OUTER HULL OF THE SHIP...
>> NOW, UNDERWATER
IMAGING EXPERT BILL LANGE
PRESENTS STUNNING NEW
PICTURES...
>> FINALLY NOW WE'VE GOT A
WIDE-ANGLE VIEW THAT WE'VE
ALWAYS WANTED...
>> A LOOK AT "TITANIC" THAT HAS
NEVER BEEN SEEN--UNTIL NOW.
THIS INCREDIBLE MOSAIC IS
1,200 INDIVIDUAL PHOTOS STITCHED
TOGETHER.
NO CAMERA LENS HAS EVER BEEN
ABLE TO CAPTURE THIS MUCH
DETAIL IN A SINGLE SHOT.
AND THIS, THE STERN,
ALSO MOSAICED FROM
OVER A THOUSAND IMAGES.
WHERE THE SHIP BROKE, THE MAIN
ENGINES ARE EXPOSED, EACH AS
TALL AS A 3-STORY BUILDING.
TO BILL LANGE, THESE MOSAICS
ARE CLUES ABOUT HOW "TITANIC"
HIT THE BOTTOM.
>> I THINK WHAT WE'RE LOOKING
AT IS THAT THE BOW IMPACTED THE
SEA FLOOR AT THE FORWARD END
AND COLLAPSED DOWN UPON IMPACT,
WHICH CAUSED ALL OF THIS
DECKING COLLAPSE AND BULGING
OUT OF THE SIDES IN THIS AREA.
>> HOW THE DATA HAS BEEN
COLLECTED...
>> THE SCIENCE TEAM
WILL CONTINUE WORKING FOR YEARS
TO COME WITH THE DATA FROM THIS
EXPEDITION.
>> HEY, KEN, IT'S PARKS.
>> MEANWHILE, PARKS STEPHENSON,
KEN MARSCHALL, AND BILL SAUDER
HAVE FOCUSED ON THE BREAKUP.
HOW DID "TITANIC" COME APART?
WAS THERE A FATAL FLAW?
[PEOPLE SCREAMING]
AFTER A YEAR OF
PAINSTAKINGLY STUDYING KEY
PIECES OF NEW DEBRIS--THE WAY
THEY BROKE AND THEIR LOCATION
ON THE MAP--THIS TEAM NOW
BELIEVES THEY FINALLY KNOW WHAT
HAPPENED AS "TITANIC" WENT DOWN.
APRIL 14, 1912. 11:40 P.M.
SHE STRIKES THE ICEBERG.
[CRASH]
[ALARMS BLARING]
[METAL GROANS]
[PEOPLE YELLING]
>> BY 2:15 A.M., IT'S THE
BEGINNING OF THE END.
[PEOPLE SCREAMING]
THE BOW PULLS DOWN, THE STERN
RISES.
FUNNELS COLLAPSE.
THE SHIP FRACTURES.
THE ENTIRE BOW HANGS ON THE
DOUBLE BOTTOM.
AMAZINGLY, IT HOLDS ON.
[PEOPLE SCREAMING]
FINALLY, THE DOUBLE BOTTOM LETS
GO. THE BOW HEADS DOWN.
IT SAILS AS IT FALLS, TAKING
PERHAPS 5 MINUTES TO REACH
THE BOTTOM.
THE CARGO HATCH FLIES OFF.
THE STRUCTURE CREASES, AND THE
BACK END COLLAPSES.
THE FATE OF THE BOW SEEMS
STRAIGHTFORWARD.
THE TEAM BELIEVES IT'S WHAT
HAPPENED TO THE STERN THAT
REVEALS IF "TITANIC" HAD A
FATAL FLAW.
[PEOPLE SCREAMING]
ONCE THE DOUBLE BOTTOM
RELEASES THE BOW, THE STERN
BRIEFLY SETTLES BACK.
>> AND EYEWITNESSES SAW THE
STERN SETTLE BACK, AND FOR A
MOMENT, THOUGHT, WELL, MAYBE THE
SHIP WILL FLOAT AFTER ALL.
>> BUT IT'S JUST A CRUEL
ILLUSION.
NOW SHE STARTS DOWN.
BOILERS FALL OUT.
THE DECKHOUSE TEARS OFF.
THE DOUBLE BOTTOM BENDS BACK
AND SEPARATES.
NOW DECKHOUSE AND DOUBLE BOTTOM
SAIL OFF TO THE EAST.
THE STERN INVERTS AND GOES
INTO A SPIRAL.
THE TOWER DEBRIS AND GALLEY
DECKS COME OFF.
FINALLY, IT HITS--BLOWING OUT
THE SIDES AND TOP.
[HORN BLASTS]
NO ONE CAN SAY FOR CERTAIN
WHAT HAPPENED ONCE "TITANIC"
DISAPPEARED.
BUT THE TEAM BELIEVES THIS
SCENARIO IS SUPPORTED BY
EVIDENCE ON THE SEA FLOOR.
ONE, THE DOUBLE BOTTOM.
THE FORWARD EDGE OF THE FRONT
PIECE IS STRETCHED, WHICH
WOULD RESULT FROM ITS HOLDING
THE WEIGHT OF THE BOW.
TWO, THE PROFUSION OF DEBRIS
TO THE RIGHT OF THE STERN, AND
THE SMEARING OF THE MUD TO THE
LEFT, SUGGEST THE STERN FELL IN
A SPIRAL MOTION.
THREE, THE POSITION OF THE
DECKHOUSE DEBRIS FAR TO THE
EAST.
>> WE SUSPECT, BASED UPON WHERE
THAT DEBRIS IS LOCATED IN THE
DEBRIS MAP, THAT THAT PIECE MUST
HAVE SEPARATED IN THE FIRST
LARGE SPIRAL OF THE STERN
SECTION.
>> AND THERE IS MORE--
THE MOST SIGNIFICANT EVIDENCE
OF ALL.
THIS EXPEDITION HAS SHOWN THAT
THE MISSING MIDDLE WAS NOT
PULVERIZED INTO BITS, BUT
SURVIVED AS HUGE CHUNKS,
SUGGESTING THEY BROKE FREE IN
GIANT SECTIONS.
FOR LARGE SECTIONS TO BREAK
AWAY INTACT AND SURVIVE ALL
THE WAY TO THE BOTTOM TELLS
THIS TEAM THE ANSWER TO THE
ULTIMATE QUESTION: WAS
"TITANIC" A WEAK SHIP?
>> WAS "TITANIC" A WEAK SHIP?
THE ANSWER THAT WE'RE TAKING
FROM THIS EXPEDITION IS QUITE
THE OPPOSITE.
WEAK RIVETS, POSSIBLE FLAWS
IN DESIGN--WHAT WE FOUND HAS
DISPROVEN A LOT OF THAT.
"TITANIC'S" GOTTEN A BAD RAP IN
RECENT YEARS.
HER OWN BUILDER GAVE HER ONLY
AN HOUR TO AN HOUR AND A HALF
TO LIVE. SHE LASTED TWO HOURS
AND 40 MINUTES.
"TITANIC" BROKE BECAUSE SHE WAS
SUBJECTED TO STRESSES THAT NO
STRUCTURE COULD WITHSTAND.
>> BUT IF THOMAS ANDREWS'
DESIGN CAN'T BE FAULTED, WHERE
DOES BLAME FOR "TITANIC" LIE--
CAPTAIN SMITH FOR
SPEEDING THROUGH AN ICE FIELD?
RECKLESS, PERHAPS,
BUT IN 1912, NOT UNHEARD OF.
>> HE WAS FOLLOWING
THE ROUTINE AT THE TIME.
IT WAS CUSTOMARY FOR CAPTAINS
TO PROCEED AT THEIR CRUISING
SPEED UNTIL ICE WAS ACTUALLY
SIGHTED. AND THEN THEY WOULD
TAKE PRECAUTIONS.
>> WHITE STAR CHAIRMAN BRUCE
ISMAY FOR INADEQUATE LIFEBOATS?
BUT, IN FACT,
"TITANIC" ACTUALLY HAD MORE
LIFEBOATS THAN THE LAW REQUIRED.
EXPERTS ASSUMED THEY WOULDN'T
NEED TO HOLD EVERYONE; RADIO
WOULD CALL OTHER SHIPS TO THE
RESCUE.
>> LIFEBOATS ARE MAINLY
TO MOVE PEOPLE FROM A SHIP
THAT'S SINKING TO ONE THAT HAS
COME TO RESCUE IT.
ANOTHER SHIP WOULD PULL UP, AND
YOU WOULD USE THE LIFEBOATS TO
TRANSFER THEM.
>> BUT ON APRIL 15, 1912,
A PLACE IN A LIFEBOAT
WAS THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH.
[PEOPLE YELLING]
>> MAYBELLE THORNE GETS A SEAT
AND SURVIVES. GEORGE ROSENSHINE
AND FRANZ PULBAUM DO NOT.
CAPTAIN SMITH AND THOMAS
ANDREWS ALSO DIE.
BRUCE ISMAY MAKES IT TO A
LIFEBOAT, BUT AS THE CEO WHO
SAVED HIMSELF WHEN WOMEN AND
CHILDREN DIED, HIS REPUTATION
IS FOREVER SHATTERED.
MARGARET DEVANEY ENDS UP IN
THE SAME LIFEBOAT AS ISMAY.
WHEN THE SAILOR IN CHARGE FINDS
THE OARS LASHED TOGETHER, IT'S
MARGARET'S POCKET KNIFE HE USES
TO CUT THEM FREE.
IN THE END, 700 PEOPLE MADE IT
INTO A LIFEBOAT AND SURVIVED.
TODAY, LIFEBOAT SEATS FOR
EVERYONE IS THE LAW.
BUT WHAT GOOD IS ENOUGH
LIFEBOATS IF THERE'S NO TIME TO
LAUNCH THEM?
>> 3 YEARS AFTER "TITANIC,"
THE "LUSITANIA" IN 1915...
THE "ANDREA DORIA" IN 1956...
AND, IN JANUARY, 2012,
THE "COSTA CONCORDIA."
3 STATE-OF-THE-ART SHIPS
THAT ROLLED ON THEIR SIDE AS
THEY SANK, MAKING MANY OF THEIR
LIFEBOATS UNUSABLE.
"TITANIC" REMAINED STABLE
FOR TWO HOURS AND 40 MINUTES.
ALL OF HER LIFEBOATS WERE USED.
>> I AM CONVINCED
THAT NO OTHER SHIP
THEN ON THE OCEAN WOULD HAVE
PERFORMED UNDER THE
CIRCUMSTANCES AS WELL AS
"TITANIC."
>> ALL ALONG WE'VE
BEEN LOOKING FOR POTENTIAL
FLAWS THAT KILLED ABOUT
1,500 PEOPLE, BUT INSTEAD I
THINK WE'VE ACTUALLY FOUND
EVIDENCE THAT "TITANIC" SAVED
ABOUT 700 LIVES.
>> I THINK THERE'S
A LOT OF EVIDENCE THAT "TITANIC"
WAS BUILT A LOT BETTER THAN
SHE'S BEEN GIVEN CREDIT FOR.
[HORN BLASTS]
>> A CENTURY AFTER "TITANIC'S"
SINKING, MYSTERIES ARE SOLVED,
REPUTATIONS RESTORED, AND THE
ENTIRE WRECK SITE HAS FINALLY
BEEN DOCUMENTED.
SCIENTISTS AND HISTORIANS WILL
STUDY THE DATA FOR YEARS TO
COME, AND NEW FINDINGS WILL
CONTINUE TO EMERGE.
BUT THANKS TO THIS TEAM, THE
WORLD NOW KNOWS MORE THAN EVER
ABOUT HOW THIS BECAME THE FINAL
RESTING PLACE...
OF "TITANIC."