The world remains captivated by the ongoing search for the missing Titan submersible which had 5 crew members on board that embarked to explore the wreck of the Titanic, which, despite the collaborative efforts of various countries and organizations, including the Canadian and U.S. Coast Guard, couldn’t be found.
The US Coast Guard said on Thursday that everyone on board the vessel were dead following the discovery of the submersible in pieces after an implosion on board that killed everyone.
Earlier estimates by U.S. Coast Guard officials also indicated that the Titan’s oxygen supply would sustain until approximately 7 PM on June 22 (Singapore time), as reported by NBC News.
The Disappearance of the Titan
On the night of June 18 (Singapore time), the Titan submersible vanished, carrying five individuals on board and possessing an estimated 96 hours of life support.
A Canadian search plane initially detected underwater “banging noises,” offering hope that the crew might still be alive, as reported by the BBC.
However, locating the Titan proves to be an immense challenge, given its potential location in an underwater area over 3,000 meters deep and spanning about 15,000 km².
Tragically, the massive international search for the missing Titan submersible came to a somber conclusion. The U.S. Coast Guard confirmed that a deep-sea submersible, which embarked on a voyage to explore the century-old wreck of the Titanic, was found in pieces due to a “catastrophic implosion.”
This devastating incident resulted in the loss of all crew members. Rear Admiral John Mauger of the U.S. Coast Guard informed reporters that a debris field from the Titan was discovered on the seabed, approximately 490 meters away from the bow of the Titanic, resting about 4 kilometers beneath the surface in the remote North Atlantic.
The Titan, operated by OceanGate Expeditions, had lost contact with its surface support ship on Sunday morning, roughly 1 hour and 45 minutes into what should have been a two-hour dive to the iconic shipwreck. The exact cause and timing of the vessel’s failure are yet to be determined.
Within the debris field resulting from the Titan’s disintegration, five major fragments of the 6.7-meter-long submersible were identified. The fragments include the vessel’s tail cone and two sections of the pressure hull, as confirmed by Coast Guard officials.
However, there has been no mention of any sighting of human remains. Rear Admiral Mauger stated, “The debris field here is consistent with a catastrophic implosion of the vehicle.”
Prior to the Coast Guard’s press conference, OceanGate released a statement acknowledging the absence of survivors among the five men who were on board the ill-fated Titan.
Deceased crew members
The individuals on board consisted of a group of five individuals, each with their own distinct background and expertise. Among them was:
- Hamish Harding, a 58-year-old British billionaire and explorer.
- Shahzada Dawood, a Pakistani-born business magnate, 48 years of age,
- accompanied by his 19-year-old son Suleman, both of whom hold British citizenship.
- Paul-Henri Nargeolet, a 77-year-old French oceanographer and renowned Titanic expert, who possesses extensive experience exploring the wreck on numerous occasions.
- Stockton Rush, a 61-year-old American, who serves as the founder and chief executive of OceanGate who was piloting the ill-fated submersible.