The deaths of five crew members of the missing Titanic submarine have been tragically confirmed. The submarine was carrying passengers to a famous shipwreck in the middle of the Atlantic when it disappeared within about two hours.
Tragically, the ship’s air supply would run out on June 22 at 12.08pm UK time (7.08am EST).
After a search turned up debris, it was reported that crew members tragically died after finding the wreckage. Security concerns about the OceanGate ship were reportedly raised before it disappeared.
OceanGate’s full statement read: “We now believe that our CEO Stockton Rush, Shahzada Dawood and his sons Suleman Dawood, Hamish Harding and Paul-Henri Nargeolet are sadly missing. “These men were true explorers with a clear spirit of adventure and a deep passion for exploring and protecting the world’s oceans.
“Our hearts go out to these five souls and all their families at this tragic time. To mourn the lives lost and the joy they brought to everyone they knew.
It continues: “This is an extremely sad time for our dedicated staff who are exhausted and deeply grieve this loss.
“The entire OceanGate family is deeply grateful to the countless men and women from many organizations in the international community who mobilized extensive resources and worked so hard for this mission. “We appreciate their dedication to finding these five researchers and their tireless work day and night to support our team and their families.
“This is a very sad time for the entire research community and for every family member of those lost at sea. “We respectfully ask that the privacy of these families be respected at this painful time.”
The US Coast Guard confirmed in a press conference that debris was found “consistent with a catastrophic destruction of a pressure chamber”. It was reported that the ROV found the stern cone of the Titanic submarine and it was 1,600 feet away from the wreckage of the Titanic, an area that was free of debris from the doomed ship.
According to the authorities, a total of five large pieces were found in the ruins. According to the BBC, this includes a nose cone outside the fuselage and a larger debris field. The US Coast Guard continues to investigate the scene and learn more about the tragedy.