Radio used by the Titanic to call for help can be salvaged, judge rules

kltaylor · May 20, 2020

Preface: I've always had a fascination for the RMS Titanic as long as I can remember. When I was in elementary school one of the projects that we accomplished was to create our own 'book'. Mine was about the Titanic and hopes of resurfacing the vessel and preserve it in a museum. I saw this in my news thread and thought to share it here.

A federal judge has ruled that RMS Titanic Inc. can salvage the radio used to call for help by the fated ocean liner after it struck an iceberg in 1912.

To get to the radio, divers would need to remove a part of the ship's deckhand to reach the room known as the Marconi Suite, which houses the device.

The ruling modified an order issued on July 28, 2000, that said that RMS Titanic Inc. could not cut into the wreckage or detach any part of it.

Virginia's eastern district court amended that order "for a unique opportunity to recover an artifact that will contribute to the legacy left by the indelible loss of the Titanic, those who survived and those who gave their lives in the sinking," Judge Rebecca Beach Smith wrote.

Experts in the case testified to the "significant deterioration" in areas above and around the Marconi room, according to the document, and photos showed the "increasing breakdown" in the deck above the suite.

The suite, made of steel, consisted of three areas: sleeping accommodations, an operator's room and the silent room that housed the radio. Each area was separated by wood walls that officials believe have dissolved, according to court documents.

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kltaylor · May 20, 2020

I agree @Ciaran, but the sad fact is that it's been deteriorating there since 1912 ... if we can preserve anything from that it should be worth doing. While I see this as a 'do not disturb the deceased', I also see it as 'let's preserve their sacrifice' as well.

I love visiting historical things like this, sometimes its so surreal to be present with an item or an area that survived "xyz'. It's humbling for me ...

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Albert · May 21, 2020

Absolutely fascinating. Thanks to KLtaylor for posting this. I would love NOTHING MORE than to visit the Titanic exhibition in Belfast. So far my shocking brutal workload has prevented it.

Being a licensed Radio Ham who had to learn Morse code to pass my A class exam ( I am still fully licensed by COMREG here in Dublin)

boy oh... boy... I would love to see that radio... but I am very afraid the seawater will have done enormous damage to it. Perhaps one of the Morse keys they used might have survived ? Now..... that would be a treasure of unbelievable value !!!

@kltaylor @Ciaran

Marc · May 22, 2020

Thanks for the post @kltaylor , good read. As it’s Memorial Day weekend here in the States, there’s been a slew of military salvage articles in the news. I was reading through this one this morning (though it’s from 2019) about the aircraft carrier Hornet sunk during WWII.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/13/magazine/uss-wasp-lost-world-war-ii-aircraft-carrier.html?referringSource=articleShare

AlbertK · May 24, 2020

Marc. THANK YOU for this absolutely fascinating story. One of the best written and illustrated articles I have ever read. As my brother spend his whole life in the US military, (he is buried in a military cemetery in San Diego, CA. ) it was more than of passing interest to me.

Thank you again ! @Marc @kltaylor

Albert

Radio used by the Titanic to call for help can be salvaged, judge rules

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