The Discovery of the Titanic Wreck

The Titanic was a huge ship that sank in 1912 after hitting an iceberg. For more than 70 years, no one knew exactly where it lay on the ocean floor. In 1985, a team of explorers finally found the wreck deep in the Atlantic Ocean. It was one of the most famous discoveries in history.

Finding the Titanic

A scientist named Robert Ballard led the team that found the Titanic. They used a special underwater robot called Argo to search the ocean floor. Argo had cameras that sent pictures back to the ship above. One night, the cameras showed pieces of the Titanic on the seafloor. The team cheered with excitement.

What They Found

The Titanic was resting about 12,500 feet below the surface. It had broken into two large pieces. Shoes, dishes, and other items were scattered on the ocean floor. Since then, many trips have been made to study and photograph the wreck. The Titanic slowly continues to fall apart deep underwater.

Fun Facts

• The Titanic wreck is about 370 miles south of Newfoundland, Canada.
• Tiny sea creatures called rusticles are slowly eating the metal of the Titanic.
• Robert Ballard used a secret Navy mission as cover when he was searching for the Titanic.

Did You Know?

Robert Ballard did not bring up any items from the Titanic because he believed the site should be treated like a gravesite.