Pieces of the Titan submersible were found today on the ocean floor, about 1,600 feet from the bow of the Titanic. The debris was ‘consistent with a catastrophic implosion,’ the Coast Guard says. All five onboard the submersible are believed to have died. The Canadian vessel Horizon Arctic deployed a remote-operated vehicle (ROV) that discovered the debris field.
“On behalf of the United States Coast Guard and the entire unified command, I offer my deepest condolences to the families,” Rear Admiral John Mauger said in a news conference on Thursday.
Mauger said that the tragedy likely occurred before the rescue effort got underway because sonar monitoring of the area had not detected any signs of an implosion during the search.
The operator of the craft, OceanGate, confirmed the five people onboard — its chief executive, Stockton Rush, who was piloting the submersible; Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman Dawood; British businessman-adventurer Hamish Harding; and Paul-Henri Nargeolet, a French explorer — are presumed dead.
How very sad.
I could not understand why the acoustic locator beacon did not give a position but now realise that the shockwave created by the violent implosion would have destroyed it too.
It is also sad that the recovery of human remains will be almost impossible, not just because of the depth but the fact that everything will have been imploded to a single mass. I was involved in the recovery of more than 50 bodies during my career in the North Sea, mostly from helicopter crashes and it was a major driver in very difficult circumstances to recover bodies for loved ones to grieve. Alas I do not think this will be possible here.
RIP+ gentlemen.
The only thing sad about this story is the innocent teen that didn’t even want to go! The rest are greedy pretentious people that risk their lives doing something stupid to show off. They got what they pay for; the real experience of dying like the Titanic victims. The difference is that we know they didn’t suffer because it is an instant death.
I find a mother and daughter grieving for a father and son very sad indeed. The others were not super rich, rather they were explorers doing what they saw as important for the earth and for science. I hate to think of all the things I spent money on as a younger man with associated risks and, due at times just to good luck, I am still here.
I even flew on a 737-800 (MAX) recently and was never so glad as to be able to walk away from the aircraft. A couple of hundred of my previous fellow travellers were not so lucky yet they spent their money on their flight.
One day there shall be an inquiry with time for ranting, finger pointing, blame and being downright supercilious, but now is not that time.
Regardless of circumstances leading up to the loss of the Titan last week, we should all reserve our barbs for a later time, after we’ve allowed time for grieving and reflection. I knew PH Nargeolet, and I have lost a colleague and friend. He was a naval officer, a scientist, an explorer, and a delightful person. I feel sad for the families and friends of the other occupants and I hope they all find some comfort in the days ahead.