Never-before-seen photographs capturing a long-lost statue and the decay of the Titanic shipwreck have been released.
The RMS Titanic, Inc. team, which is dedicated to preserving the legacy of the ocean liner, spent 20 days at the wreck site over the summer taking over two million images and videos, FOX Weather reported.
Researchers ended up rediscovering a statue of the ancient Roman goddess "Diana of Versailles," and the findings were recently shared by RMS Titanic Inc.
"RMS Titanic, Inc. is thrilled to share the first images and remarkable discoveries from our 2024 Expedition," Tomasina Ray, RMS Titanic, Inc. director of collections, said in a news release. "The discovery of the statue of Diana was an exciting moment. But we are saddened by the loss of the iconic Bow railing and other evidence of decay which has only strengthened our commitment to preserving Titanic’s legacy."
The statue was first found 70 years after the Titanic's sinking, but became lost until it was recently spotted.
"A highlight is the re-discovery of the bronze statue 'Diana of Versailles,' last seen in 1986, an artifact that most experts feared had been lost forever. This significant piece of art now has a clear, updated image thanks to the efforts of RMS Titanic, Inc.’s researcher James Penca and the Expedition’s data scientists," the release said.
"A more somber revelation accompanied this success: a significant section of the railing surrounding the Bow's forecastle deck have fallen from the port side prow where it stood as recently as 2022. This alteration irrevocably changes one of Titanic's most recognized and symbolic visuals."
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The bronze statue is 2 feet tall and was displayed as the centerpiece of the First Class Lounge, the RMS Titanic team told FOX Weather.
The photos also showed the bow of the ship, showing a missing 15-foot-long part of a railing on the right side of the vessel.
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After reviewing the 3D photos, the team determined that the ship's railing was lying on the seafloor and had fallen off in one piece.
"Although Titanic’s collapse is inevitable, this evidence strengthens our mission to preserve and document what we can before it is too late," the team said.
In 1912, the Titanic hit an iceberg and sank. The ship was not discovered until 1985 in the Atlantic Ocean.
