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marketrent OP t1_j989jtx wrote

Excerpt from the linked release^1 by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution:

>WHOI is debuting 80 minutes of rare video footage from the 1986 expedition to explore the famous wreck.

>The newly released video highlights the remarkable achievement by the team to bring iconic images of the ship back to the surface.

>On September 1, 1985, a team from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) led by Dr. Robert Ballard in partnership with Institut français de recherche pour l’exploitation de la mer (IFEMER) discovered the final resting place of the ship.

>In July 1986, nine months after the discovery, a team from WHOI returned to the wreck site, this time using three-person research submersible Alvin and the newly developed remotely operated vehicle Jason Jr.

>The trip marked the first time that humans laid eyes on the vessel since its ill-fated voyage in 1912.

Video highlights include:

>• Captured in July 1986 from cameras on HOV Alvin and ROV Jason Jr, most of this footage has never been released for public viewing.

>• Footage begins with Alvin approaching Titanic exploring the bow and parking on its deck.

>• Split screen views syncing camera feeds from Alvin and Jason Jr. as the smaller vehicle leaves Alvin to explore the wreck.

>• Interior shots of Titanic from Jason Jr

^1 Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution releases rare video footage from the first submersible dives to RMS Titanic, 15 Feb. 2023, https://www.whoi.edu/press-room/news-release/woods-hole-oceanographic-institution-releases-rare-video-footage-from-the-first-submersible-dives-to-rms-titanic/

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amehatrekkie t1_j99m7fj wrote

Something that was revealed a few years ago was that the expedition was paid for by the us navy and they were looking for a submarine wreck from WW2. After they found the submarine, the Argo crew figured they can look for the Titanic as well since they're near the estimated probable location. They got permission from the navy and were given a time frame (idr how long). They found the Titanic on the last day on the western edge of the search area. The submarine search was declassified a few days before the information was released.

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martinborgen t1_j99x359 wrote

I believe it was a cold war nuclear sub USS Scorpion, lost in 1968, not a WW2 boat.

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Accujack t1_j9bq739 wrote

They also weren't trying to find it, they know exactly where it is. They wanted someone to survey the wreck to evaluate its condition.

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listyraesder t1_j9blzpe wrote

This is inaccurate. The Titanic expedition was always planned - it was the ostensible reason for Ballard to be out there. The Titanic portion was a joint WHOI/IFREMER expedition, and the French ship was searching for Titanic while Ballard was searching for the Cold War nuclear submarine Scorpion. Ballard arrived at Titanic search grid in time to take over from the IFREMER team.

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