- Tragic Presumption: All Aboard Missing Submersible Believed Dead
- Discovery of Debris: Tail Cone Found near Titanic Bow
- Recovery Prospects Uncertain: Challenging Search in Complex Seafloor Environment
Finding the missing submersible in a completely gloomy environment was compared to searching for a needle in a haystack, and according to experts, even specialized vehicles on the seafloor can only see a few meters.
According to a statement from the submersible’s operator, all five individuals aboard the vanished Titan sub are presumed dead.
An OceanGate statement stated, “We now believe that our CEO Stockton Rush, Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman Dawood, Hamish Harding, and Paul-Henri Nargeolet have perished.”
These individuals were true explorers who loved exploring and protecting the oceans.
“During this tragic time, our emotions are with these five souls and every member of their families. We mourn the loss of life and happiness they brought to all who knew them.”
Rear Admiral John Mauger, who is leading the search, verified minutes later at a news conference that a remotely operated vehicle had discovered the tail cone of the missing sub approximately 1,600 feet from the bow of the Titanic on the ocean floor.
Mr. Mauger added, “In consultation with experts within the unified command, the debris is consistent with the catastrophic loss of the pressure chamber.”
I offer my condolences on behalf of the US Coast Guard and the unified command. I can’t imagine what they’re going through, but I hope this discovery helps.”
James Matthews asked the rear admiral if any trace of the five missing passengers had been discovered.
Mr. Mauger responded, “This operating environment on the seafloor, more than two miles below the surface, is extraordinarily complex. The remote operating vehicle’s comprehensive searching allowed us to mark Titan submersible areas in the pressure chamber.
When asked about the likelihood of recovering crew members, Mr. Mauger cautioned that “the seafloor is an incredibly unforgiving environment” and that the debris is consistent with the ship’s “catastrophic implosion.”
He told reporters, “We will continue to work and search the area. But I do not have an answer for prospects at this time.”
An expert subsequently added that there is no Titanic debris in the region.
It was verified early Thursday morning that a “debris field” had been discovered at the search site.
A rescue expert who knows two of Titan’s five crew identified the landing structure and rear cover.
Five days have passed since Titan’s passengers embarked on a two-hour dive to view the Titanic’s disaster. And teams from multiple nations have combed thousands of square miles in search of the vessel.
Wednesday’s US Coast Guard forecast that the ship’s oxygen will run out today at 12:08 pm UK time.
Finding the missing submersible in a completely gloomy environment was compared to searching for a needle in a haystack, and according to experts, even specialized vehicles on the seafloor can only see a few meters.
