RMS Titanic, Inc. 2024 Expedition Discoveries

In 2024, RMS Titanic, Inc. led its first expedition in over 14 years to the Titanic wreck site and the ninth expedition ever to the Titanic. The mission, which consisted of sending a unmanned submersible that utilized the newest technology including high-resolution cameras and scanning equipment, aimed to take high-quality images of the ship's current state and locate artifacts for recovery. Over two million high-resolution images were captured, providing much detail about the wreck's conditions. Among the findings was the rediscovery of the long-thought-lost Diana of Versailles, a 2 foot or 61 centimeter(cm) bronze statue that used to be located in the ship's First-Class Lounge, last seen and photographed in 1986 by another group of researchers in a previous expedition and was thought to be lost due to no sightings in the last four decades. This was also the ninth expedition to the wreck site. This rare artifact was discovered just hours before the expedition ended, marking a major triumph for the exploration. 

The statue had likely left the room due to the ship's breakup during the sinking process. While the Titanic was sinking in 1912 it broke apart as it made its descent into the ocean floor scattering, including the statue. 

“It was like finding a needle in a haystack, and to rediscover it this year was momentous,” said Titanic researcher James Penca in an interview with the BBC.   

The success of the rediscovery was significant due to the historical and cultural importance of the statue and the technological advancements in deep sea technology 

The expedition also revealed significant decay in the wreck. Researchers discovered that the iconic railing at the ship's front, famously featured in James Cameron's movie Titanic(1997), had collapsed and had fallen onto the ocean floor. This is a reminder of the natural deterioration affecting the ship due to the extreme circumstances it is in, which continues to weaken and disintegrate the ship over a century of submersion. 

The mission's success was largely due to advancements in imaging technology over the years, which allowed the team to create detailed digital maps of the wreck. These images will help preserve the ship’s current state for future generations, even as it continues to be corroded. 

The RMS Titanic, Inc. plans to return to the wreck site next year to recover more relics, including the Diana of Versailles statue, all of this possible due to the map created by this expedition.  

Citations: 

1. OPB. Titanic research dive reveals discovery, decay and new photos. OPB. 2024. 

2. USA Herald. Diana of Versailles Statue Rediscovered in Recent Titanic Expedition. USA Herald. 2024. 

3. Morelle, Rebecca. “Titanic: Striking Images Reveal Depths of Ship’s Slow Decay.” Bbc.com, BBC News, Sept. 2024, www.bbc.com/news/articles/crkm82enkgko. Accessed 16 Sept. 2024. 

4. https://www.facebook.com/brianboucher. “Titanic’s Long-Lost Diana Sculpture Comes to Light | Artnet News.” Artnet News, 4 Sept. 2024, news.artnet.com/art-world/statue-diana-titanic-2531024. Accessed 26 Sept. 2024.