Robot Promenades on Titanic’s Deck During Last Dive
Scientists maneuvered their repaired camera-toting robot into the promenade deck of the Titanic on Thursday, their last visit to the wreckage of the once-splendid luxury liner before packing up and heading for home.
In a brief ship-to-shore conversation with officials at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, chief scientist Robert Ballard said he sent the robot, Jason Jr., into the promenade deck and could clearly see a brass plaque that said: “Entrance to the bridge. For crew use only.”
But Ballard gave few details about the last of the 11 dives 2 1/2 miles below the ocean surface.
‘Clearly the Best Dive’
“Today was clearly the best dive of the entire search,” Ballard said. “We took our most dangerous penetrations today. We landed the submarine (Alvin) initially on the bow and worked that area with Jason.
“Then we moved up to the port side of the ship near the wheelhouse just flanking the first officer’s cabin near the bridge, landed Alvin on the boat deck and then sent Jason over the side of the ship and entered the promenade.”
Ballard said the research robot became entangled in wreckage at one point, but the team managed to maneuver it out without incident.
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