When divers dived into the wreckage of the Titanic in 1996, they heard a mysterious "beep" from the sonar. In the years since, all sorts of theories have circulated about the strange sound, but 26 years later, researchers have pinpointed its source.


More than 1,500 people on board were killed after the Titanic collideda with an iceberg in April 1912, broke in two and sank to the bottom of the ocean. The wreck of the steamer was only discovered in 1985, at a depth of about 3 kilometers. During an expedition in 1996, divers were surprised to hear a "beep" while diving to the wreck. They thought the sound might have been caused by a second shipwreck or some geological feature.


Now, 26 years later, OceanGate Expeditions researchers have uncovered the real cause. The "bleep" was apparently caused by the rich marine life, specifically an ecosystem made up of sponges, corals, lobsters and fish. “We are amazed by the biodiversity at a depth of 2,900 meters in the North Atlantic Ocean,” nsaid Steve W. Ross, chief scientist of OceanGate Expeditions.


The Titanic was the largest steamer ever built when the vessel embarked on its journey to New York from the British port city of Southampton in 1912. — © BELGAIMAG