Aluminum Keeps Alvin from Being Foiled

The deep submergence vehicle (DSV) Aluminaut, shown here in 1966, was owned by the Reynolds Metals Co. (later Reynolds Aluminum) but it played a critical role in WHOI history. In October 1968, the submersible Alvin accidentally sank to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean when support cables snapped. A year later, the Aluminaut was used to help retrieve Alvin from beneath 5,000 feet of water. (Photo courtesy of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution archives)