I apologize that it has taken so long for me to update you all. I’ve been resting on this story for the past week, scared to share it. I believe this will be my final update today.
After my last post I was contacted by my former diving supervisor. He told me the danger of sharing these stories. Then his tone changed.
“Things are getting worse down there…” He had never before spoken freely about it with me. But he continued. “We had an incident this last week… And we lost men”. I was shocked. We all know the dangers, we’ve all seen the Keepers of the Deep. But nobody actually expects to die. After a close call or two, you just expect to keep having close calls. He continued “Out of respect for our fallen, you need to use your best judgement before sharing this. And realize, it isn’t safe to share this story” He then continued.
The team was contacted to perform a standard salvage job for the military. They had been incredibly vague about the work, but indicated that a vessel had gone down. The dive team and their gear were loaded aboard a U.S. Naval ship to be escorted to the project. This is abnormal, but not unheard of. But things became more, and more strange as they travelled to the project. First, they were briefed by the Commanding Officer. He reviewed the confidentiality agreement regarding our work. Then the brief was turned over to a man who did not introduce himself. He explained that the Navy has been working on a prototype submarine. It’s capabilities and new technologies would not be relevant to us. All we needed to know was that it was tremendous. The size would dwarf any subs we’d ever witnessed. He then admitted the Navy did not need routine salvage work, but assistance recovering their prototype. He briefed the team that four days prior they had lost contact with the crew. Sonar images show the submarine resting on bottom, apparently intact, but nobody was responding to communications attempts.
As the ship arrived on scene, they found that they were not alone. Nearly a dozen Navy ships were already awaiting their arrival. The divers were given the go ahead to get in the water and begin work. Their first task was to inspect the submarine for damage and hazards. They needed to provide a bottom report for the engineers to develop a plan for raising it. They didn’t want us rigging it up however seemed fit to us. They needed the prototype in as good of a condition as possible.
The divers entered the water and were soon in awe of the creation. It was like nothing they had ever seen. It was tremendous. From where they descended they could not see the forward or aft ends of the submarine, and the water was abnormally clear. In addition, the sub was created out of what appeared to be a reflective metal woven into scales. They began inspecting the sub for damage. After they had reached the maximum allowable bottom time, they were brought back to the surface to swap out without event. They reported to the next set of divers that they had explored from midship to the aft end and had found no apparent damage. The sub appeared to have gently set down in the sand.
The next next set of divers entered to inspect from midship to the forward end. They began advancing while inspecting for damage. About ten minutes into the dive, one diver began tapping on the hull. Immediately both divers reported that they could hear people inside the submarine banging against the hull and shouting out. They couldn’t understand what they were screaming, but the message was clear. They were terrified. The supervisor reported that they had found evidence that the crew was still alive. The divers continued advancing. It was about five more minutes before their next report. Their were carvings across the submarine’s metallic scaled surface. Hieroglyphics had been carved into the submarine, and appeared to stretch from the very front of the submarine toward midship. Still, there were no signs of structural damage that would have caused the submarine to cease functioning. The divers returned to surface and the Commanding Officer was given a full report on the day’s findings.
The team was assured that the submarine was capable of sustaining the crew. They were eager to retrieve it, but the crew was believed to be in relatively little danger.
As day two begun, divers descended with instructions to locate four specified locations. Engineers needed to verify they were still structurally sound for attaching rigging. Immediately the divers reported that they could still hear the banging coming from within. They began locating the rigging points quickly and easily. As they approached the forward end of the ship, just within the region which was covered in carvings. They noticed a figure moving about. They both saw it, there was no denying it. But it soon disappeared from sight. The divers were unable to figure out where it had gone. They agreed to quickly find the remaining two points. It was quick work, the two remaining points were located. All four were intact and readily available for use. As they readied to return to surface, they were informed that there were two more locations they were being asked to inspect. There were supposedly two hatches, port and starboard, that the engineers had insisted needed to be checked. The supervisor was wary “The engineers up here got uneasy when they heard your reports of something moving around the ship. They stepped inside and when they returned insisted that you find the two hatches. I’m not sure what’s going on, they are being very ambiguous. Please be cautious”
The divers returned to the area in question and began closely reexamining the area. As they worked, they soon saw a figure emerging from the submarine. It was dragging a body out of the hatch. They froze, and watched as it pushed the hatch closed, and began dragging it into the distance. They then approached the spot and realized the hatch was almost indistinguishable between the scales and carvings on the submarine, but it was there. As they were reporting this, that hatch began to open again.
Topside lost communications with the two divers. It was sheer panic on topside. The tenders were reporting strain on the divers’ umbilicals. The standby diver donned his helmet and prepared to get in the water. The umbilicals began violently shaking and pulling. The standby diver was clearly terrified, but nonetheless approached the side of the ship prepared to enter the water. The strain on the umbilicals released, and suddenly the lines went limp in the water. A few moments later air bubbles were erupting to the surface. The supervisor grabbed the standby diver and told him, get the divers, and get the fuck out of there. He entered the water, and began tracing out their umbilicals. His goal was to follow the umbilicals to the divers in distress. As he followed the umbilicals he saw the air violently erupting from below and continued deeper. He reached the source. The umbilicals had been cut free of the divers and were pumping air into the water. Knowing the divers had no air supply, he urgently searched the area for the two divers. After five minutes, he had found no sign and was ordered to inspect the hatch. He frantically made his way to the hatch, hoping beyond hope to find the divers alive.
As he approached, he found the hatch open and saw the two bodies laying on the floor. He entered the space to retrieve them. As he did, he noticed several figures in the darkness of the room. He grabbed the nearest body and began pulling it as the figures rushed toward him. They were instantly upon him, tearing at him and his gear. In fear, he released the body and attempted to flee the space. In the struggle, he freed himself and rocketed to the surface. He was pulled up and over the side of the ship unconscious.
His bloodied body lay on the deck, likely suffering from an arterial gas embolism from his rapid ascent. The team rushed him into the hyperbaric chamber to treat him.
The supervisor informed the Commanding Officer that all diving was being terminated. He had lost two men and one was in critical condition. There were inexplicable things happening on this submarine, and he would not sacrifice more men.
The treatment continued through the night, and the diver regained consciousness. He told the supervisor he was done. He would not reenter the water again, ever. He was assured nobody would be returning, and that as soon as his treatment was complete the entire team was returning to land.
The next morning the team was summoned for what was believed to be a debrief. They entered the room to speak with the Commanding Officer and his team of engineers. The CO asked them to take a seat. He then informed them that they would not move forward with the salvage of the prototype. However, what was down there couldn’t remain. Whatever was inside of the submarine had to be positively destroyed. The team was to reenter the water, and plant charges in locations specified by the engineering team. The supervisor was furious. He demanded that the team be taken back to the mainland and released from the ship. Armed sentries entered the room and restrained him. The CO again repeated his orders and clarified that the team would not be allowed to leave until the job was complete.
Dive side was reassembled under the watch of several armed sailors. The supervisor continued to protest the job. After over an hour of conflict two divers agreed, under duress, to get in the water to plant the charges.
The two divers entered the water. Fearfully they moved to the specified locations and began placing the charges. They began hearing the banging and shouting coming from within the sub. The divers, understanding these men would be killed, began sobbing. The CO came onto the comms and again explained they would not be allowed to leave until the job was complete. After regaining their composure, the two regretfully continued.
The two completed their task and returned to the surface. In their shame they refused to speak to anyone, and left dive side.
The ships began departing from the location and the team was again summoned. The Commanding Officer thanked them for their service to their great nation and informed them that they would be handsomely rewarded for the regrettable tragedy they had encountered. He then went over the confidentiality of the job, and everything that they had witnessed. His final words to them were “Previous events have been leaked to the public. Please realize there will be real consequences for any leaked information about what happened here today”
My supervisor ended the conversation stating that the entire team had agreed they were going to leave the diving company. Their fear of the deep sea, and remorse for the job, were too great. He told me “There are some places man simply isn’t meant to explore”
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