Down to the Andrea Doria

Down to the Andrea Doria was filmed shortly after the Italian ship sank on July 26, 1956. A team of divers used state-of-the-art equipment to go down and document the wreck site for posterity. Although a rather short expedition, it was nonetheless a success.

Recent underwater images of the Costa Concordia reminded me of this little film, and I felt compelled to share.

Snapshot: The Titanic Wreck

This ghostly image shows the forward section of the Titanic as it is today. Several survivors had claimed that the ship broke apart on the surface before sinking, but these were unconfirmed accounts until Dr. Robert Ballard and Jean-Louis Michel discovered the wreck site on September 1, 1985.

While the forward section of the Titanic was in remarkable shape, the stern looked as if it had exploded upon hitting the ocean floor.

Today, the ship sits decaying on the bottom - a monument to all those who died on that tragic April night in 1912.

Images of the HMHS Britannic Wreck Site

The HMHS Britannic (sister to the ill-fated RMS Titanic) was sailing off the coast of Kea on November 21, 1916 when she was rocked by an explosion - she had been struck by a mine. World War I had been underway for the past two years, and the ship was loaded with wounded soldiers from the Middle Eastern theatre.

Although built with more safety features than her older sister, the ship went down in about 55 minutes.

Several portholes had been opened at the time of the explosion, which resulted in the ship sinking so quickly.

I can't remember where I found this, but it's a rather neat image of Britannic laying on the bottom of the Kea Channel in Greece. I believe it was taken during Dr. Robert Ballard's expedition to the wreck site in 1995.

This image was taken by diver Antonello Paone. Note the size of the person beside the massive propeller.