OceanGate Expeditions, the company leading the search for the Titan submersible, which was attempting to reach the wreckage of the Titanic, has confirmed the crew onboard are believed to be dead.
On Thursday, June 22, debris from the submersible was discovered on the ocean floor, around 500 meters from the famous ship’s bow.
The landing frame and rear cover of the submersible were found at a depth of 12,500 feet, about 1,600 feet away from the Titanic wreck. This development suggests that the submersible suffered a crack and imploded under extreme underwater pressure, resulting in the immediate loss of all five men on board.
OceanGate expressed deep sorrow over the loss of their CEO, Stockton Rush, as well as Paul-Henri Nargeolet, Hamish Harding, Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman Dawood. These people were celebrated for their adventurous spirit and passion for exploring and preserving the world’s oceans. The company conveyed heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and requested privacy during this painful time.
Earlier, David Mearns, a friend of two men on board, acknowledged the grim reality of the situation, stating that the men would have been unaware of the catastrophic failure and the instantaneous nature of their death. The discovery of the submersible debris dealt a severe blow to hopes of a miraculous rescue.
A press conference has been scheduled to discuss the findings, as the Coast Guard transitions from a rescue effort to a recovery mission.
The families of the five men have yet to publicly respond to the discovery. Experts had warned about the possibility of the submersible experiencing a leak and imploding due to the immense pressure at such depths. The exact fate of the men—whether they reached the Titanic or perished before doing so—remains unknown.
Efforts to locate the submersible involved several organizations, with the Canadian vessel Horizon Arctic deploying the Odysseus 6k remote-operated vehicle (ROV) to explore the depths. While search teams detected consistent banging noises, the source remained elusive.
As the world anxiously awaited news, the 96-hour oxygen supply of the submersible neared its limit. However, experts suggested that the estimate could be imprecise, and survival could potentially be extended if the men had conserved their breathable air.
The eight-hour delay in reporting the submersible’s disappearance has drawn criticism from the family of Hamish Harding, a British billionaire on board. Despite the challenges and the dwindling time, search operations persisted with the hope of a miracle. However, experts expressed pessimism about the chances of a successful rescue.
As the world held its breath, hoping for a miracle, the rescue teams faced immense challenges in the race against time. The outcome remained uncertain, but the unwavering commitment to the search effort persisted.
