This amazing discovery made Dr. Ballard an overnight success, because of this he was able to go down to explore the wreck and the surrounding debris field. This also was used to test his underwater video technology.

In 12 days, 10 dives were made in the submersible, Alvin. The remote camera, Jason Junior, helped take video footage of the ship. This helped answer many questions about what really happened on that faithless night.

On that night, the stern rose out of the water after the ship broke in two. This occurred between the third and forth funnels, like witnesses reported. The aft was too heavy because it contained the engine rooms and weighed too much to stay intact. The breaking point was a weak spot because of large open spaces, and the aft Grand Staircase, in the above areas. As the ship plunged to the bottom, the remaining three funnels were swept away, most of the rigging went with them. The cables dragged along the boat deck, knocking away davits and other equipment. The bow, still basically intact, went gliding down on an angle, hitting nose first and burying itself sixty feet into the silt. The aft part of the bow bent slightly and the forepeak remained buried in the mud on a sharper angle.

The stern, which hadn't fully filled with water, went plunging straight down. The flowing, incoming water forced out all the remaining air, wreaking havoc and damage. The poop deck was torn open and folded back on itself. The stern hit the bottom first with such force that the decks accordained down onto one another, the hull bulged outward.