OceanGate Submarine Inc., the company organizing the voyage to explore the wreckage of the Titanic, announced on Thursday that the five individuals who were aboard the missing submarine did not survive.
The U.S. Coast Guard confirmed that the OceanGate vessel encountered a “catastrophic loss of the pressure chamber” and identified the debris found on the sea floor as parts of the sub
Coast Guard Rear Adm. John Mauger addressed the media, describing the sea floor as an “incredibly unforgiving environment” and stating that the debris was consistent with a “catastrophic implosion” of the vessel. The U.S. Navy reported detecting an “acoustic anomaly consistent with an implosion” shortly after the sub, named Titan, lost contact with the surface.
While banging noises were detected earlier in the week, they were determined to be unrelated to the missing sub and were attributed to other vessels in the vicinity. However, on Thursday morning, an ROV from a Canadian vessel located the tail cone of the sub approximately 1,600 feet from the bow of the Titanic.
Admiral Mauger disclosed that additional debris was discovered, and experts confirmed its compatibility with the missing sub, which was found over 2 miles beneath the ocean’s surface
The individuals on board the sub were identified as Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood, his son Suleman Dawood, billionaire adventurer Hamish Harding, French explorer Paul-Henri Nargeolet, and OceanGate founder Stockton Rush. The sub was found in scattered pieces, and efforts will be made to fully map the wreckage, according to U.S. Navy salvage expert Paul Hankins.
Notably, the sub’s remains were located in an area of the sea floor that lacked debris from the original Titanic wreckage. Admiral Mauger extended his deepest condolences to the families affected and expressed hopes that the discovery would provide some solace during this difficult time.
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