Login Get started

Titanic, Spanish Armada, & other Shipwrecks: Drain the Ocean MEGA EPISODE | Sunken Ships Compilation

National Geographic・165 minutes read

Scientists equipped with cutting-edge tools are tackling the mysteries of the Titanic disaster to potentially rewrite its story, revealing new evidence about the wreck hidden for over a century. The investigation uncovers that the Titanic took two and a half hours to sink, refuting eyewitness records and confirming that the ship was not torn apart by a giant gash, but instead succumbed to small punctures from the iceberg below the waterline.

Insights

The Titanic, a technological marvel, sank on its maiden voyage in 1912, taking 1500 passengers and crew down to the icy depths.
Autonomous underwater vehicles dive down through 12,000 feet of water to capture data, while ROVs capture digital images of the wreck.
Investigation of the Titanic wreckage as an archaeological site aims to reveal the human stories of the tragedy.
Rusticles, formations on the Titanic caused by bacteria, are accelerating the ship's decay.
The British fleet, inspired by the Mary Rose, focused on gunnery warfare against the Spanish Armada, ditching hand-to-hand combat.
The Germans execute a daring escape maneuver by turning 180 degrees as the British cross the T.
The sinking of the Britannic led to the implementation of international shipping standards to prevent similar disasters.
The MV Derbyshire, a cargo ship, sank due to flooding in the bow section, leading to its vulnerability and eventual sinking.
The Atocha's treasures include emerald and gold items, rare silver, gold chains, and cups.

Get key ideas from YouTube videos. It’s free

Recent questions

How deep is the Titanic wreckage?
Two-and-a-half miles down.
What is the Titanic Mapping Project?
A high-tech investigation to scan the wreck.
How long did it take for the Titanic to sink?
Two and a half hours.
What caused the damage to the Titanic's stern?
High-pressure water and rapid disintegration.
What is accelerating the Titanic's decay?
Rusticles formed by bacteria.

Related videos

Summary

00:00

"Titanic's Hidden Story Unveiled in 3D"

The Titanic has been hidden in darkness at the bottom of the Atlantic for a century, two-and-a-half miles down.
A new investigation aims to reveal the wreck of the Titanic as never seen before, uncovering critical new evidence.
Scientists equipped with cutting-edge tools are tackling the mysteries of the disaster to potentially rewrite the Titanic's story.
The Titanic, a technological marvel, sank on its maiden voyage in 1912, taking 1500 passengers and crew down to the icy depths.
Explorers first discovered the Titanic's wreckage in September 1985, and since then, over 20 expeditions have revisited the site.
The Titanic's wreckage is spread out over half a square mile of the exposed ocean floor, with five debris fields scattered with ship fragments.
An epic high-tech investigation, the Titanic Mapping Project, aims to scan every part of the wreck and build a precise digital model.
Autonomous underwater vehicles dive down through 12,000 feet of water to capture data, while ROVs capture digital images of the wreck.
More than 160 hours of video and 37 terabytes of data are collected, which are then processed to create a complex model of the wreck.
The ultra-high-def imagery and 3D scan of the Titanic's wreck reveal a new vision of the ship, unlocking its story that has been hidden for over a century.

14:14

Titanic Investigation: Debunking Myths and Discoveries

The investigation into the Titanic wreckage reveals that the bow is intact, allowing for examination of the iceberg impact.
Eyewitness records contradict the official report, showing the Titanic took around two and a half hours to sink, not minutes as suggested.
Oceanic explorer P.H. Nargeolet has made numerous trips to the Titanic but has never seen a 300-foot gash as reported.
High-resolution photo mosaics of the wreckage show no evidence of a 300-foot tear on the hull, only smaller areas of impact damage.
The gaps in the hull add up to just 11 square feet, allowing 370 gallons of seawater to gush in every second.
Analysis reveals that the Titanic took two and a half hours to sink, matching the time it would take for the amount of water to flood in.
The investigation confirms that the giant gash reported is fictional, and the iceberg made small punctures below the waterline that led to disaster.
The stern of the Titanic is in a significantly worse condition than the bow, with massive damage and twisted steel beams.
Marks on the seabed indicate that the stern was turning when it hit the bottom, moving at 50 miles per hour, explaining its severe damage.
Investigators believe high-pressure water found its way into the ship's interior, causing it to break apart, with the stern suffering more damage due to its rapid disintegration.

28:18

"Titanic Debris Field Reveals Human Stories"

Debris field located 1100 feet southeast of the stern of the Titanic.
Thomas William Solomon Brown, a South African hotelier, perished on the Titanic while his wife and daughter survived.
Edgar Samuel Andrew, a 17-year-old third-class passenger, left behind schoolbooks and writings before perishing on the Titanic.
Investigation of the Titanic wreckage as an archaeological site aims to reveal the human stories of the tragedy.
The investigation seeks to determine when and where the Titanic broke apart, with new data challenging previous theories.
The debris field on the ocean floor is meticulously mapped to understand the Titanic's sinking.
The ship's breakup likely occurred deeper in the water than previously thought, based on the scatter pattern of artifacts.
Rusticles, formations on the Titanic caused by bacteria, are accelerating the ship's decay.
Microbiologists identify anaerobic bacteria feeding on the Titanic's metal, leading to its rapid deterioration.
By studying the bacteria, researchers can predict the timeline of the Titanic's eventual disintegration.

41:14

Titanic artifacts: controversy and historical significance

The bow of the Titanic is deteriorating due to the damage sustained during sinking, with bacteria encrusting girders in rusticles.
Tough decisions need to be made regarding the collapse of the bow section or designing projects for artifact recovery.
Bringing up more artifacts from the Titanic is controversial, with some considering it a gravesite that should be left undisturbed.
The display of Titanic artifacts has led to a shift in opinion, with some seeing them as powerful storytelling tools and historical memory.
New science ensures that much of the Titanic's wreck can never be lost, with the site's perimeter defined and every inch scanned and analyzed.
The China Seas, a contested area, hold the remains of epic battles and treasures, now revealed through underwater scanning technology.
The battleship Yamato, the largest ever built, was a top-secret weapon of the Japanese Navy during World War II.
Yamato's massive size, powerful armament, and top-secret nature made it a formidable force in naval battles.
Despite its strength, Yamato was vulnerable due to underperforming anti-aircraft guns and a design flaw that made it susceptible to internal explosions.
The ultimate fate of Yamato was likely sealed by a catastrophic explosion in its forward gun turret, leading to its destruction during battle.

01:01:42

"Shipwrecks and Treasures: Maritime Mysteries Revealed"

The ship Yamato sinks as it takes on water, leading to the death of 800 men.
The blast that destroys Yamato originates from the second magazine.
A mushroom cloud is seen when Yamato explodes, foreshadowing the atomic bombs over Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Kazushi Hiro, a survivor, visits a cenotaph weekly to honor his fallen crewmates.
Yamato's sinking marks the end of the battleship era due to vulnerability to torpedo attacks without air cover.
Kublai Khan's Mongol fleet vanishes mysteriously during an invasion of Japan in 1281.
Maritime archaeologist Kenzo Hayashida discovers evidence of the lost Mongol fleet, including a bronze seal from 1277.
Kenzo uncovers fragments of Kublai Khan's fleet, revealing the poorly built and unstable nature of the ships.
The Mongol fleet's destruction is attributed to a typhoon, known as kamikaze, that struck during the invasion.
The Cham Islands off Vietnam hold a treasure trove of 15th-century Chinese ceramics from the Maritime Silk Road.

01:22:41

"Internet's Data Consumption and Undersea Cables"

Demand for data doubles every two years, with social media and video being the biggest consumers.
Four million views of YouTube videos occur per minute, consuming a vast amount of data.
Trillions of dollars in electronic funds move between corporations and banks, totaling 3.4 petabits of data consumed every 60 seconds.
Data is stored in the cloud, transported deep below the sea through a network of cables.
98% of the internet traffic runs through fiber optic cables under the ocean.
Undersea cables, like the one in the Luzon Strait, are vulnerable to attacks and accidents.
Engineers bury cables deep below the seabed to reduce risks, using specialized ships to lay thousands of miles of cables.
A plough the size of a house carves trenches on the sea floor to bury cables, ensuring connectivity.
Choke points like the Luzon Strait are crucial for internet connectivity, with 19 cables linking Asia and the West.
An earthquake in 2006 caused a massive underwater landslide in the Luzon Strait, disrupting internet connectivity and financial transactions globally.

01:43:34

Yukon River Boat: Gold Rush Journey

The end of winter and darkness signals the start of a race as the ice cracks and temperatures rise.
The A J Goddard, a 15-ton boat designed for shallow waters, navigates the Yukon River to transport prospectors to gold fields quickly.
Piloted by Clara Goddard, the boat carries 22 people without an interior cabin, facing the White Horse Rapids.
The boat's flat bottom design aids in navigating the rapids, reaching Dawson in five days to a warm reception.
The Goddard's return trip is hindered by its small boiler, unable to power through the rapids upstream.
Ropes are used to pull the boat through challenging sections, leading to the end of its high-paying prospector transport.
The boat becomes a ferry on Lake Laberge, where it eventually sinks during a storm in 1901.
The California Gold Rush sees 100,000 people heading to the gold fields, with only 30,000 making it and fewer finding significant gold.
The Niantic, a merchant ship, is discovered buried beneath San Francisco's financial district, repurposed into a warehouse during the gold rush.
San Francisco's rapid growth during the gold rush sees ships like the Niantic used as buildings, contributing to the city's expansion.

02:02:51

Gold Rush Ship LaGrange: Uncovering History

Historical research identifies a shipwreck as LaGrange, known for carrying prospectors in 1849.
Archaeologists return to the Sacramento River to uncover more about the ship, facing challenges due to sediment.
Sonar data reveals the remains of a gold rush vessel, with visible hull remains and metal ring bolts.
The purpose of the ring bolts, similar to those on a slave ship, remains unclear in a non-slave state like California.
LaGrange's past as a sea-going barque converted to carry fortune seekers in the gold rush is discovered.
The ship sails from Salem, Massachusetts, to San Francisco and up the Sacramento River.
The ship is later moored on the River Bank, possibly due to crew desertion during the gold rush.
LaGrange is converted into a floating jailhouse due to the dangerous and violent nature of gold rush California.
The ship eventually sinks due to flooding during a storm, highlighting the dark side of the gold rush era.
The summary concludes with the impact of the gold rush on California's economy and the transformation of the United States.

02:22:52

Ancient Shipwreck Unveils Spanish Maritime History

Meticulous recording of size and shape of wreckage leads to an extraordinary find.
Data gathered by dive team allows for draining Red Bay to expose remains of a sailing ship.
Discovery of hourglass fragments inside wreck, a rare medieval time-measuring tool.
Uncovering compass and astrolabe on the ship, aiding navigation using stars.
Shipwreck confirmed to be over 400 years old, with unique V-shaped timbers grown into shape.
Shipbuilding style leads team to Spain, where shipbuilding tradition dates back over 500 years.
Basque Galleon being built in Spain using traditional materials and methods.
Historical records reveal details of a ship named San Juan that sailed to Northern Canada in 1565.
San Juan was a cargo ship carrying whale oil, evidence of a significant whale oil production site in Red Bay.
English Queen Elizabeth's policy of attacking Spanish ships leads to the Armada's ambitious invasion plan.

02:44:08

Medieval Archery and Naval Warfare Evolution

The Mary Rose is the only collection of medieval archery equipment, showcasing traditional sea battle readiness.
Naval warfare in the medieval period involved merchant ships turned into fortresses with archers for land battles at sea.
Each archer on the Mary Rose could fire up to twelve armor-piercing arrows per minute.
The English navy, as seen on the Mary Rose, transitioned to new technology with bronze and iron guns.
The Tudor Navy introduced wrought iron cannons, cheaper and stronger than bronze guns.
The Mary Rose carried twelve iron guns called Port Pieces, mounted on low-profile carriages for easy reloading.
The ship's design was altered to accommodate the weight of the canons, enhancing firepower.
The Mary Rose capsized due to instability from soldiers, guns, and open gun ports during a battle with the French in 1545.
The English fleet, inspired by the Mary Rose, focused on gunnery warfare against the Spanish Armada, ditching hand-to-hand combat.
The English tactics of standoff gunnery warfare proved effective against the Spanish Armada, leading to their defeat and the prevention of an invasion of England.

03:04:02

Rise of England's Naval Dominance and Battles

Spanish Empire's weakness was its dependence on wealth, losing sources of wealth led to bankruptcy within ten years.
England, with naval superiority, rises as a dominant force after the defeat of the Spanish Armada.
England establishes its first successful colony in the Americas within twenty years, leading to English dominance in North America.
Britain becomes the undisputed ruler of global trading routes until being surpassed by the United States.
The Battle of Jutland in 1916 is a significant naval action of World War One.
The German fleet sets out on a secret mission to attack the British Grand Fleet, hoping to wear them down in a series of engagements.
The British Grand Fleet mobilizes 151 ships to crush the German fleet and win the war at sea.
The Battle of Jutland becomes the biggest sea battle of World War One, shrouded in mystery and controversy.
The wreck of HMS Invincible reveals the explosive power of Cordite, a type of gunpowder used in battleships.
The fatal vulnerability of battleships like Invincible lies in the open blast doors allowing fire to spread and cause explosions.

03:22:28

Naval Battle: Invincible, Jutland, Scapa Flow

A hundred tons of cordite can tear a ship in half, as seen with the ship Invincible.
Leaving blast doors open during naval warfare can lead to disastrous consequences, as seen in the Battle of Jutland.
The British naval tactic of rapid fire involves leaving magazine doors open to increase the rate of fire.
Suicidal decisions like removing magazine doors led to the loss of four Royal Navy ships in less than three hours.
The British fleet, led by Admiral Jellicoe, aims for total annihilation of the German fleet during the Battle of Jutland.
The British tactic of crossing the enemy's T allows them to concentrate firepower and potentially annihilate the enemy.
The Germans execute a daring escape maneuver by turning 180 degrees as the British cross the T.
The German ship Lutzow, heavily damaged in the battle, is scuttled by its crew to prevent capture by the British.
The British fleet, despite missing opportunities, gains control of the North Sea after the Battle of Jutland.
The German high seas fleet is interned at Scapa Flow after World War I, with the fate of the ships revealed as the waters are drained.

03:40:42

Scapa Flow: German Battleships Scuttled in 1919

German Battleships at Scapa Flow were scuttled in 1919 to prevent the Allies from acquiring them, with no signs of explosions or torpedo damage.
Fleet commander Von Reuter orchestrated the scuttling under secret orders from Germany as a revengeful act.
Naval architect David Manley explains how ships can be sunk by hitting vulnerable spots with a sledgehammer, causing flooding and evacuation.
The German crews displayed remarkable coordination in evacuating the sinking ships under British guard's watch.
Adolf Hitler purchased salvaged metal from the German fleet to build a new navy, using the steel from the sunken ships.
The sinking of the Royal Oak in Scapa Flow during World War Two by a German U-Boat resulted in the loss of 833 sailors, including many young boys.
The Nazis used the steel from the sunken German ships to arm themselves for World War Two, learning from the lessons of Jutland.
Investigators discovered the Royal Oak's wreck with gaping wounds from torpedo strikes, leading to its rapid sinking.
The sinking of the Britannic, sister ship to the Titanic, during World War I remains controversial, with questions about whether it was torpedoed or hit a mine.
Historians and divers continue to explore the Britannic wreck off Kea Island in Greece to uncover the truth behind its sinking, with the hope of finding physical evidence of the cause.

04:00:29

Shipwrecks: Britannic, Amoco Cadiz, MV Derbyshire

The largest ship of her age, bigger than any cathedral, the Britannic, is perfectly preserved.
Comparing the Britannic to the Titanic, it's noted that the former is in much better condition.
Newspaper reports suggest the Britannic was torpedoed by Germans, sparking controversy.
Evidence from the drained wreck site reveals a deformed section of the ship's hull, indicating an explosion.
A piece of metal resembling a sea-mine near the explosion site confirms the Britannic was sunk by a mine, not a torpedo.
The Britannic's final moments are reconstructed, revealing it was sunk by a mine laid by a German U-boat.
The sinking of the Britannic led to the implementation of international shipping standards to prevent similar disasters.
The Amoco Cadiz, a massive oil supertanker, sinks off the coast of Brittany, causing a significant oil spill.
The Amoco Cadiz disaster prompts the introduction of double-hull construction for ships to enhance safety.
The MV Derbyshire, a modern super ship with a double-hull, mysteriously disappears in the China Sea, leading to a search and discovery of its wreck.

04:22:50

Cargo ship disasters: lessons learned and challenges ahead.

The MV Derbyshire, a cargo ship, sank due to flooding in the bow section, leading to its vulnerability and eventual sinking.
Examination of the fragmented vessel reveals brittle fracture patterns along the edges, indicating an explosive force that blasted the hull apart.
A sinking double-hulled ship experiences implosion-explosion phenomena due to pressure build-up, leading to the hull blowing apart with a force equivalent to 16 tons of TNT.
The Derbyshire tragedy resulted from a rogue wave smashing the hatch cover of hold number one, flooding the ship and causing it to sink rapidly.
Tougher regulations post the Derbyshire disaster led to improved safety measures on cargo ships, reducing the rate of loss effectively by half.
The El Faro, a modern ship, faced a tragic fate due to flooding in hold number 3 amid hurricane conditions, leading to its sinking and loss of all crew members.
The VDR (Voyage Data Recorder) of the El Faro was crucial in understanding the ship's final moments, revealing critical clues about its sinking.
The El Faro's listing amid hurricane conditions caused flooding through open loading areas, leading to instability and eventual loss of power.
Despite advancements in ship technology, the El Faro tragedy highlights the vulnerability of even modern ships to nature's forces.
The future of maritime giants faces challenges as ships grow larger, emphasizing the need for improved safety measures to combat the ocean's uncontrollable power.

04:44:47

Lost Treasure of Rooswijk Uncovered

Over 270 years later, underwater archaeologists, led by Martijn Manders, embark on a unique large-scale excavation underwater to uncover a wreck in the treacherous waters of the English Channel.
The team utilizes multi-beam sonar scanning technology to map the seabed and reveal the shape and depth of features beneath the sea floor.
The drained waters of the English Channel unveil the hidden landscape of the Goodwin Sands, a graveyard for around 2,000 ships, including the Rooswijk, a treasure ship from the 18th century.
The wreck of the Rooswijk is uncovered, showcasing twisted timbers, Dutch artifacts, collapsed deck planks, and scattered cannons, providing a glimpse into a lost world.
Divers face challenges due to fast-moving tides, with only a limited safe diving window each day, as they explore the wreck site and uncover treasures like silver coins and artifacts.
The discovery of smuggled coins on the Rooswijk raises questions about illegal private trade and the involvement of the entire crew in smuggling activities.
The Dutch East India Company's dominance in trade between Asia and Amsterdam is highlighted, with the Rooswijk serving as a key vessel for trading silver for spices.
The wreck's fate is revealed through evidence of a storm causing the ship to be stranded on sandbanks, leading to its destruction and the loss of its valuable cargo.
The excavation yields a fraction of the estimated coins on board, including smuggled ones, with the potential value of the Rooswijk's silver reaching up to $125 million.
The expedition concludes with plans for further exploration to recover more treasures from the Rooswijk and ongoing efforts by archaeologists and treasure hunters worldwide to uncover lost fortunes beneath the seas.

05:03:27

Lost Atocha Treasure: Hunt and Discovery

September 4th, 1622: 'Nuestra Senora de Atocha' departs Havana, Cuba, laden with silver, gold, and gems from Mexico and South America.
The Atocha encounters a hurricane, leading to its loss, with only five survivors.
The Florida Keys are notorious for shipwrecks, with around 1,000 doomed ships due to the Gulf Stream.
Multi-beam sonar scanning reveals a vast coastal mountain range and North American continental shelf.
The Florida reef tract, North America's only coral reef, poses a threat to ships like the Atocha.
Mel Fisher and his team search for the Atocha's treasure, finding clues like cannons and silver coins.
The Fisher Team's treasure hunting methods, including a propeller blast system, raise concerns about sea floor damage.
After 15 years, the Fisher Team discovers the Atocha's motherlode, valued at $400 million in 1985.
The Atocha's treasures include emerald and gold items, rare silver, gold chains, and cups.
The hunt continues for more Atocha riches, focusing on the missing sterncastle and the spread of wreckage over miles.

05:21:40

Deep-sea dive recovers lost gold treasure.

The gold is suspected to be stored in the bomb room, one of the most secure areas on the ship, situated deep inside the hull behind four-inch armor plating.
To access the wreck of HMS Edinburgh at 800 feet deep, saturation diving in a high-tech pressurized chamber is required to avoid long decompression times.
Divers enter the ship through a torpedo hole, facing challenges like staying warm in freezing waters and cutting through armor plating to reach the bomb room.
Recovery of 460 bars of gold worth $240 million is achieved, shared between the Russian and British governments and the salvage team, marking the largest haul of lost gold bullion from the seabed.

Try it yourself — It’s free.