A tragedy unfolded this week before the eyes of the world. A deep sea submersible, the 5-person Titan, descended to the ocean floor on Sunday to view the 111-year-old wreck of the Titanic. The timeline of what was known when, as revealed in the press and that which was known in official channels, however, were two entirely different things.
Despite knowing that the craft was lost on Sunday, the government narrative persisted in telling the story of a search and rescue, allowing for hope and optimism even after the tragedy, and the loss of five lives, was known to the Biden administration.
Within 45 min of its descent, the sub lost contact, and concern for the crew, including a father and his 19-year-old son, filled hearts and minds. Pages were devoted to emerging facts and speculation.
But now it turns out that the US Navy and Coast Guard knew that the sub was most definitely lost within hours of it losing contact. A "search and rescue" operation was staged anyway, and lasted through Thursday.
Sunday
The OceanGate sub, carrying Shahaza Dawood, his son Suleman, Hamish Harding, Paul-Henri Norgeolet, and Stockton Rush, descended to the depths of the Titanic, about 435 miles off the southern coast of Newfoundland. The sub carried a four-day emergency oxygen supply.
On Sunday, shortly after the craft lost contact, the US Navy detected an explosion. They have deep sea listening equipment that they use to track enemy subs and crafts, and it was with this system that they heard what they believed was the destruction of the craft.
The Navy gave this information to the US Coast Guard, conducting operations out of Boston, Massachusetts. This information was not revealed to the public.
Monday
"We anticipate there is somewhere between 70 and the full 96 hours available at this point," Rear Admiral John Mauger of the Coast Guard told media at a press conference, per the BBC.
Mauger said further that the Coast Guard was making use of two aircraft, a submarine and sonar buoys to search for the missing submersible. The remote area, he said, was making the search difficult.
The rescue teams, Mauger said, were "taking this personally," and working hard to bring everyone "home safe."
The Coast Guard knew by then that the craft was lost for good, but told press that they were hoping everyone came "home safe."
Tuesday
Rolling Stone broke the story that "banging" was detected by a Canadian aircraft in "30-minute intervals coming from the area where the divers disappaeared." This per an "internal email" obtained by Rolling Stone, sent by Biden's Department of Homeland Security. Biden's DHS leaked to Rolling Stone.
"RCC Halifax launched a P8, Poseidon, which has underwater detection capabilities from the air," the DHS e-mails read, per Rolling Stone. "The P8 deployed sonobuoys, which reported a contact in a position close to the distress position. The P8 heard banging sounds in the area every 30 minutes. Four hours later, additional sonar was deployed and banging was still heard."
The Navy was working to recover the craft, Rolling Stone said, and a ROV, or remote operated vehicle, would be deployed as well "to reach" the divers.
They noted further that "The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia, declined to comment on the reported 'banging” sounds.' The U.S. Fleet Forces Command, and the DHS did not respond to requests for comment."
They cited the US Coast Guard statement, which gave further hope, in that the Canadian aircraft "detected underwater noises in the search area."
This statement was reitterated by OceanGate, the sub company, which said "It is being reported that at 2 a.m. local time on site that sonar detected potential ‘tapping sounds’ at the location, implying crew may be alive and signaling."
CNN covered the same internal email, saying that it indicated "continued hope of survivors." They reported that "It's a race against time as the US Coast Guard said the vessel had 'about 40 hours of breathable air left' during an update at 1 p.m. ET Tuesday."
The Pentagon's John Kirby, National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications, said that Biden was "watching events closely." As to the search and rescue operation, Kirby said "Certainly the president wants the Coast Guard to continue to participate in that.”
Kirby also said that the US Navy, which had already detected the implosion, was on standby "should they be needed because they have some deep-water capabilities that the Coast Guard wouldn’t necessarily have."
Kirby gave hope that survivors would be found.
"All of us, including the president express our thoughts to the crew on board, as well as to the no doubt worried family members back on shore — and we're just gonna, we're gonna keep looking, keep the search going," he said.
The Biden administration and the Coast Guard continued to give press the impression that a rescue was possible, despite having learned from the Navy that there had been an explosion. The coordinates for that explosion, given by the Navy to the Coast Guard, were what guided the Coast Guard's search.
Wednesday
TikTok was awash with videos, animations and speculation about what happened to the sub, and the likelihood of survival. One TikToker posted an animation of "what happens when a submarine implodes underwater." Another shared an animation of what the "instant collapse of pressure" would do to the vessel.
Adventurers who had been aboard the Titan began to speak out about their past experiences, with one German explorer stating that "it was a suicide mission" for the crew to attempt to descend to view the Titanic wreck.
The news that Hunter Biden pled guilty to misdemeanor tax crimes in a sweetheart deal with the US Attorney in Delaware, and would likely have gun charges dismissed pending conditions, was swallowed up by continued coverage of the search and rescue operation.
Also buried by the Titan saga was the testimony of John Durham before the US House, in which he revealed that FBI heads knew that Hillary Clinton was behind the Russia collusion hoax of the 2016 election, but had not given that information to the agents working the case.
The Biden White House has a long history of using TikTokers and social media influencers to get their message out for everything from pushing vaccines during the Covid pandemic to how they want the war in Ukraine discussed. In 2022, White House press secretary Jen Psaki pushed disinformation on influencers, telling them that it was fact Russia that "hacked" the 2016 election.
Thursday
The Coast Guard discovered the debris field of the Titan, nearly 1600 feet from the Titanic. It was found by the remote operated vehicle. The Coast Guard then told press that the submersible had "imploded" shortly after losing contact on Sunday.
The debris field contained the rear cover and landing frame of the craft, confirming that the submersible lay in pieces on the ocean floor. The Coast Guard reported that all 5 of those aboard had lost their lives.
It was also revealed, after the deaths were recorded, that the US Navy had heard the explosion on Sunday, reported it to the Coast Guard, and that the Biden administration spent 4 days sending messages of hope for a rescue, desoite knowing fully that all hope was lost.
