Also worth noting is that when Lovell reported that the panel had separated, mission control became very concerned about the condition of the heat shield. It was normal for communication to be lost during the descent, but on Apollo 13 it took much longer and everyone in the world held their breath. You can see the relief on the people at the end of this video. It was only when the parachutes came into view that radio contact was restored.
Also worth noting is that when Lovell reported that the panel had separated, mission control became very concerned about the condition of the heat shield. It was normal for communication to be lost during the descent, but on Apollo 13 it took much longer and everyone in the world held their breath. You can see the relief on the people at the end of this video. It was only when the parachutes came into view that radio contact was restored.