Secret Mission Unveiled
Robert Ballard and Jean-Louis Michel discovered the Titanic wreckage 39 years after its sinking, but the real motive was shrouded in secrecy.
The Cold War Navy Operation
The dive that unveiled the Titanic’s resting place was actually part of a classified mission to locate two lost nuclear submarines, the USS Scorpion and USS Thresher.
The Unexpected Find
Despite the Navy’s initial motives, Ballard’s hunch led to the astounding discovery of the Titanic, split in two and hidden beneath the ocean’s surface.
Unveiling the Truth
Decades later, Robert Ballard revealed the covert nature of the mission, causing a stir as the truth behind the Titanic’s discovery came to light.
Correction: July 18, 2023 — An earlier version of this story misstated when the USS Scorpion disappeared. It was lost in May 1968, not May 1965.