Rear Admiral John Mauger announced the discovery of the wreckage on Thursday. Credit: Brian Snyder/Reuters
Five people aboard the missing submersible Titan died in the ship's “catastrophic explosion,” the US Coast Guard said on Thursday.
Fragments of the ship were discovered about 1600 feet from the bow of the wreck of the Titanic. Officials said the debris field on the ocean floor included the Titan's nose cone and the front and rear of its pressure hull.
The debris is consistent with the vessel's catastrophic explosion, Rear Admiral John Mauger said. , commander of the Coast Guard, who led the search.
The find was made by a deep-sea robot delivered from a Canadian ship and equipped with cameras.
Rear Admiral Mauger said the explosion “produced a significant” sound that would have been detected by sonar buoys dropped into the area on Monday, suggesting it happened around the time communication with Titan was lost.
Paying respect to those on board the submersible — British Hamish Harding, 58, Shahzade Dawood, 48 , and his 19-year-old son Suleman, Paul-Henri Nargola, a 77-year-old French diving veteran, and Stockton Rush. 61, founder of OceanGate, the ship's management company.
“These people were true explorers who shared a special spirit of adventure and a deep passion for exploring and protecting the world's oceans,” OceanGate said in a statement.
Mr. Nargole's daughter, Sidonie, said she was comforted by the knowledge that her father was in the place he loved the most. A diver and snorkeling pilot visited the wreck of the Titanic more times than anyone else, earning him the nickname “Mr. Titanic”.
The titan exploded under pressure
Ms Nargeolete, 39, said: “If they are not found, we will be very sad because we will not see him again.” Trying to hold back her tears, she added: “I would rather he was where he is very happy.”
Rear Admiral Mauger suggested that there was little hope of finding the remains of the Titan's crew, saying: “There, on seabed, incredibly harsh environment.”
James Cleverley, foreign secretary, said the government is “giving close support to affected families.”
This brought a grim end to a four-day search for a Titan missing in a remote area. stretch of the Atlantic Ocean, about 400 miles south of St. John's, Newfoundland, on Sunday. The location made the rescue operation “unique” and “incredibly challenging,” officials said.
Vessels assisting rescue efforts
The search was launched after the Titan lost contact with its mother ship about an hour and 45 minutes after the start of the expedition. the sinking of the Titanic.
This came after growing concerns about the experimental design of the submersible and the safety concerns that had been raised against OceanGate.
Rear Admiral Mauger suggested that questions about applicable regulations and standards for deep-sea expeditions “will be a focus in the future.”
Legal experts have warned that OceanGate could face litigation from passengers' relatives due to concerns about the company's approach to safety.
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