The Titanic-bound submersible that went missing last month on Father’s Day with a crew of five men on board suffered a ‘catastrophic implosion,’ shattering pieces of the unfortunate vessel and killing everyone on board.
The US Coast Guard confirmed that a debris field on the ocean floor had been discovered in the search operation for the missing Titan submersible.
In a devastating update, the company behind the deadly voyage confirmed the news of their death and said all five people have been lost. This means that their bodies may never be recovered as they have perished in the unforgiving ocean.
“This is an incredibly unforgiving environment down there on the sea floor, and the debris is consistent with a catastrophic implosion of the vessel,” said Mauger, the First Coast Guard District Commander.
“I can only imagine what this has been like for them, and I hope that this discovery provides some solace during this difficult time,” Mauger added.
The people on board have been identified as Stockton Rush, the CEO of OceanGate Expeditions; British billionaire Hamish Harding; French dive expert Paul Henry Nargeolet; and prominent Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his son, Suleman.
Minutes before the press briefing, the company that operated the Titan sub issued a statement and confirmed that the crew has perished in an implosion under the deep sea.
“We now believe that our CEO Stockton Rush, Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman Dawood, Hamish Harding, and Paul-Henri Nargeolet, have sadly been lost,” OceanGate said in a statement.
“These men were true explorers who shared a distinct spirit of adventure, and a deep passion for exploring and protecting the world’s oceans. Our hearts are with these five souls and every member of their families during this tragic time. We grieve the loss of life and joy they brought to everyone they knew.”
Last week, the remains of the imploded Titanic-bound submersible were seen for the first time since the horrible tragedy that killed everyone on board.
On Wednesday, following the previous week’s confirmation of the implosion of the Titan submersible, the US Coast Guard issued a statement indicating that human remains were likely present within the wreckage of the Titan.
After recovering the debris and evidence from the seafloor, the US Coast Guard received it at a Canadian pier.
According to the statement, the evidence will be transported to a US port for further analysis and testing.
The statement emphasized that “United States medical professionals will conduct a formal analysis of presumed human remains that have been carefully recovered within the wreckage at the site of the incident.”
The analysis and testing of this evidence form a crucial part of the ongoing investigation. The Marine Board of Investigation (MBI) is investigating the cause of the submersible’s implosion and will also interview witnesses.
Ever since the tragedy, OceanGate has been under heavy criticism by experts who believed the vessel was not ‘fit’ for such a long and life-threatening journey.
“The evidence will provide investigators from several international jurisdictions with critical insights into the cause of this tragedy,” said Jason Neubauer, the Chair Captain with the Marine Board of Investigation.
“There is still a substantial amount of work to be done to understand the factors that led to the catastrophic loss of the Titan and help ensure a similar tragedy does not occur again.”
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