Debris found near the Titanic wreckage has provided confirmation that the missing Titan submersible imploded, according to a friend of the passengers on board.
Mario Nawfal tweeted, “The carbon fibre hull of the submersible IMPLODED, killing everyone onboard instantly.”
Dive expert David Mearns, who is acquainted with the passengers, revealed that the debris from the missing submersible includes a landing frame and a rear cover.
Contact with the sub, which had five people on board, was lost on Sunday as it made a descent to the Titanic wreck.
Image: BBC
This new information was shared by the president of the Explorers Club, a non-profit organization connecting the diving and rescue community.
Amidst this tragic news, there is a silver lining. As Mario Nawfal tweeted, “The ‘good’ news is that the implosion means everyone onboard died instantly instead of suffocating slowly over days.”
However, it is important to acknowledge the sorrowful reality: everyone on board has tragically lost their lives.
Onboard the 22-foot vessel is OceanGate’s CEO and pilot of the sub, Stockton Rush, British businessman Hamish Harding, British-Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman, and former French navy diver Paul-Henry Nargeolet.
The debris was located by a remote-controlled underwater search vehicle (ROV) near the wreck of the Titanic, the US Coast Guard said.
The minivan-sized submersible was owned and operated by the private company OceanGate Expeditions.
All people feared dead
OceanGate Expeditions, the company that owned and operated the Titan minivan-sized submersible, has confirmed the devastating news that all crew members on board are feared dead after the submersible imploded.
In a statement issued by OceanGate, they express their deep sorrow: “We now believe that our CEO, Stockton Rush, Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman Dawood, Hamish Harding, and Paul-Henri Nargeolet, are feared dead.”
This heartbreaking incident marks a significant loss, and our thoughts are with the families and loved ones affected by this tragedy.
Here’s the full statement from the company:
“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.
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.
This is an extremely sad time for our dedicated employees who are exhausted and grieving deeply over this loss. The entire OceanGate family is deeply grateful for the countless men and women from multiple organisations of the international community who expedited wide-ranging resources and have worked so very hard on this mission.
We appreciate their commitment to finding these five explorers, and their days and nights of tireless work in support of our crew and their families.
This is a very sad time for the entire explorer community, and for each of the family members of those lost at sea.
We respectfully ask that the privacy of these families be respected during this most painful time.”
Deepest condolences offered to families – US Coast Guard
The US Coast Guard has confirmed the sad news and has offered its condolences to the families.
Rear Admiral John Mauger said that an ROV from the vessel Horizon Arctic found the tail cone of the Titan submersible approximately 1,600 feet from the bow of the Titanic wreck this morning. They also found additional debris that is consistent with a catastrophic loss of the pressure chamber. Officials said five major pieces were detected amid the debris around the Titanic site.
The families were immediately notified.
“On behalf of the US Coast Guard and the entire unified command, I offer my deepest condolences to the families,” Rear Admiral John Mauger said. “I can only imagine what this has been like for them.”
He added that the Coast Guard has been in close contact with the French and British consuls general to ensure that they are fully apprised and that their concerns are being fully addressed.
“The outpouring of support during this highly complex search operation has been robust and immensely appreciated,” Mauger said.
Five bodies may not be recovered – US Coast Guard
Rear Admiral Mauger said he cannot confirm whether the US Coast Guard will be able to recover the bodies of the five passengers on board the Titan sub.
“This is an incredibly unforgiving environment,” he added.
Who was on board the submersible?
- Hamish Harding: A 58-year-old British adventurer who has previously been to space and made multiple trips to the South Pole.
- Shahzada Dawood: A 48-year-old British businessman who is a member of one of Pakistan’s richest families and a supporter of two charities founded by King Charles.
- Suleman Dawood: A 19-year-old student and the son of Shahzada Dawood.
- Paul-Henri Nargeolet: A 77-year-old former French Navy diver who has reportedly spent more time at the Titanic wreck than any other explorer and was part of the first expedition to visit it in 1987.
- Stockton Rush: A 61-year-old American businessman who is the chief executive of OceanGate, the firm that operates the Titanic voyages on the lost submersible.
