OceanGate, the company that operates the Titan submarine that disappeared without a trace on Sunday, confirmed on Thursday evening that all five passengers on board had died.
“Our hearts go out to these five souls and each member of their families during this tragic time,” OceanGate said in a statement. “These men were true explorers and shared a spirit of adventure. They had a passion for exploration and protecting the world’s oceans. We mourn the loss of life and the joy they brought to everyone who knew them.”
The company added that this is a very sad time for its dedicated employees who are exhausted and grieving this loss. “The entire OceanGate family is extremely grateful to the many men and women from various organizations of the international community who quickly made resources available and worked so hard on this mission.”
Rear Admiral John Mauger of the US Coast Guard said the debris indicated a “catastrophic implosion” of the vessel.
RNews reported earlier that an underwater robot came across a scene with wreckage near the wreck of the Titanic.
The 6.5 meter long Titan rig dived towards the wreck of the Titanic at around 08:00 on Sunday morning and would resurface seven hours later. Less than two hours after the Titan dived, however, all communications were cut.
On board were British billionaire Hamish Harding and Pakistani-British citizens Shahzada Dawood, a tycoon, and his son Suleman. Also on board were OceanGate’s CEO, Stockton Rush, and a French submarine operator, Paul Henri-Nargeolet, also known as “Mr Titanic” for his frequent dives at the wreck.
OceanGate Expeditions charges $250,000 (about R4.6 million) per person for a trip to see the wreck of the Titanic.
The Titanic’s watery grave is 600 km off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada and more than 3 km below the surface of the North Atlantic Ocean. The ship hit an iceberg in 1912 during its maiden voyage from England to New York and sank with 2,224 passengers and crew on board. More than 1,500 people died.
BREAKING: US Coast Guard confirms debris consistent with catastrophic implosion#Titan #Imploded #Titanic #OceanGate pic.twitter.com/kU3YA3CppG
— stonking.com (@stonking) June 22, 2023
