- From rescue to recovery: Submersible Titan’s wreckage found at the site of the Titanic
- Emotional announcement: Pelagic Research Services CEO describes shift in mission
- Investigation and aftermath: Concerns over subsea exploration safety and recovery efforts
After 90 minutes, the remotely operated vehicle Odysseus 6K reached the Titanic’s wreck, but rescue hopes were dashed.
The Titan submarine discovery crew commander became upset as he detailed how a rescue mission became a recovery mission.
This evening, during a press conference, Pelagic Research Services outlined the timeline for its response to the Titan emergency.
Ed Cassano, the company’s CEO, told the media, “We were always mindful of the crew of the Titan” when describing the company’s efforts to locate the submersible.
“Plain and simple, we were focused on rescue,” he continued.
Mr. Cassano explained that prospects for a rescue were dashed when Pelagic’s deep-water remotely operated vehicle (ROV) Odysseus 6K arrived at the site of the Titanic wreck 90 minutes after its launch.
“Shortly after arriving on the seafloor, we discovered the Titan submersible’s wreckage…at noon, a rescue mission became a recovery mission,” he explained.
Mr. Cassano apologised and said his staff had “a lot of emotions.”
He requested that everyone recognize the “seriousness of the event” and “respect the range of emotions” experienced by those involved.
Mr. Cassano added that an additional ROV launched by a different vessel named Deep Energy was “incapable” of traveling deeper than 2,700 meters due to a mechanical malfunction. According to him, the ship “lost a vehicle attempting to reach the seafloor.”
He stated, “Our plan for Titan’s rescue was to immediately latch onto her and begin recovery upon discovering her.”
He described the magnitude of the challenge as “wild”
The OceanGate submersible Titan may have imploded on its way to the Titanic wreck, killing all five crew members.
The 21-foot vessel is believed to have imploded on 18 June as it descended, with detritus located approximately 1,600 feet from the Titanic and 12,500 feet below the surface of the Atlantic Ocean.
The U.S. Coast Guard disclosed on Thursday that presumed human remains had been recovered after the vessel’s wreckage had been carried ashore.
The potential nature and quantity of remains recovered from the site were not specified.
British father and son, Shahzada and Suleman Dawood, and British billionaire Hamish Harding were murdered aboard the vessel.
The chief executive officer of OceanGate Expeditions, Stockton Rush, and the French sub-pilot, Paul-Henri Nargeolet, also perished.
The demise of the Titan has aroused concerns regarding the security of private subsea exploration operations.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police has previously stated that they are investigating the five fatalities.
Meanwhile, Transportation Safety Board (TSB) of Canada safety investigators questioned Titan’s primary support vessel, the Polar Prince, after it moored in St. John’s harbor on Saturday.
Titan lost communication with the Polar Prince 1 hour and 45 minutes into the two-hour descent to the wreckage on 18 June, prompting the commencement of an extensive search and rescue operation involving vessels on the water, aircraft, and remotely operated vehicles (ROVS) underwater.
Eight hours after communication was lost, the vessel was reported missing.
The rescue mission concluded five days later when debris was discovered approximately 490 meters from the Titanic’s wreckage.
