The five passengers who were aboard the Titan submersible have reportedly been killed after a “catastrophic implosion,” officials have confirmed, as per the Independent.
The US Coast Guard announced on Thursday that several parts of the Titan were found in a “debris field” approximately 1600 feet from the bow of the Titanic wreckage at the bottom of the sea floor, which is what the passengers submerged to view as part of the experience. The Coast Guard determined their death following the discovery of the tragic incident.
The five men who were aboard the Titan were OceanGate Expeditions founder and CEO, Stockton Rush; British billionaire, Hamish Harding; renowned French diver, Paul-Henri Nargeolet; Pakistani businessman, Shahzada Dawood, and his 19-year-old son, Suleman.
In a statement obtained by the Independent, OceanGate Inc said: “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.
“These men were true explorers who shared a distinct spirit of adventure, and a deep passion for exploring and protecting the world’s oceans.”
When or where the Titan imploded remains unclear. Had the sonar buoys been in place, they likely would have picked up the sound, said the Coast Guard.
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The harrowing incident occurred after the passengers submerged on Sunday morning and lost contact with the submersible’s surface ship roughly an hour and 45 minutes into its submerge.
The implosion update comes after the US Coast Guard said earlier on Thursday that the missing passengers’ bodies may never be recovered.
“This is an incredibly unforgiving environment out there on the sea floor. The debris is consistent with the catastrophic implosion of the vessel. We will continue to work and search the area down there but I don’t have an answer on prospects at this time,” said Rear Admiral John Mauger of the US Coast Guard.
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The Coast Guard added that ROVs will stay put for the next 48 hours until it begins to pull back equipment.
The sonar buoys were in the water for the past 72 hours, however, they didn’t pick up any evidence of an implosion, ultimately suggesting that it occurred early on in the dive, said the Rear Admiral.
The debris, which was about 12,500 feet deep, was found away from the Titanic wreckage.
“There is no Titanic wreckage in that area,” said Carl Hartsfield, an expert with the Woods Hole Oceanographic.
