Exploration
When was the Titanic wreck found?
1985 AD
The wreck of RMS Titanic was located on 1 September 1985 AD.
1 BC · 1 AD
Context
What happened?
Jean-Louis Michel of IFREMER and Robert Ballard of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution found the ship about 325 nautical miles south-southeast of Newfoundland, at a depth of roughly 12,500 feet. Debris began appearing on the Knorr’s screens just after midnight, and the main hull was identified the next day.
Significance
Why it matters
The wreck lies in two main pieces, and its condition confirmed that Titanic broke apart at the surface rather than sinking whole, as many accounts had assumed. The site is now treated as a maritime memorial rather than a salvage target.
Further reading
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