Part 4/14:
Repeated Inspection of Fiberglass Layers: The hull, built with layers of carbon fiber and resin, exhibited wrinkles and weak points due to manufacturing imperfections. These wrinkles, often the result of handling and curing processes, created weak zones susceptible to delamination under pressure.
Buckling and Delamination: Buckles in the hull were identified, aligned along the vessel's length, indicating regions where the composite layers separated or misaligned. Such defects undermine the structural integrity, especially under the immense pressures at crush depths (~6,000 meters).