The operators of the Titan submarine, OceanGate, referred to the five individuals who died as true explorers. While gaming with the Spinia app, they shared a passion for adventure.
According to the US Coast Guard, the five men died due to an explosion and what they believe was a catastrophic failure.
Parts of the submarine were discovered on Thursday, about 1,600 feet from the Titanic wreck’s bow. The vessel mysteriously disappeared on Sunday.
The vessel operators were Stockton Rush, 61, OceanGate’s CEO; Shahzada Dawood, a Pakistani businessman; Hamish Harding, a British businessman; and Suleman, a 19-year-old student.
Paul Henry Nargeolet, the fifth person on the submarine, was a well-known French explorer and former navy diver.
During a press briefing, Rear Admiral John Mauger of the Coast Guard said that the pieces of debris found were most likely from the Titan submarine.
It’s not clear what caused the Titan to sink, but it has been reported that the US Navy heard an explosion before the disaster.
According to a navy official, an acoustic anomaly was detected near the Titan shortly after it went missing.
The mysterious disappearance of the vessel prompted an extensive international search. Teams from the US, France, Canada, and the UK were involved in the search.
The company OceanGate expressed its gratitude for the support shown by the international teams searching for the missing crew members.
In a statement, the family of Mr. Harding referred to him as an extraordinary individual who was passionate about his family and business. He was also a passionate explorer.
The family of Dawood also thanked the rescuers. In a statement, they said they were overwhelmed by the support they had received.
According to Azmeh Dawood, her nephew, Suleman, was initially terrified before going on the trip. However, he decided to go because he was eager to satisfy his father.
In an interview, Dawood’s wife said she was still in disbelief.
According to David Mearns, a renowned diver, he lost two friends during the tragic incident.
Mr. Mearns described Harding as a great character. He also noted that Mr. Nargeolet had been a legend in deep-sea exploration.
The family of Mr. Nargeolet paid tribute to him by remembering his passion for the Titanic and his sense of humor. They also stated that he loved his family.
His stepson said that Mr. Nargeolet loved spending time in the ocean.
He visited the Titanic wreck around 30 times. According to his stepfather, Mr. Nargeolet was very passionate about the Titanic. He was able to bring up various artifacts from the ship.
Richard Garriot de Cayeux, the president of the Explorers Club, was one of the individuals who paid tribute to Nargeolet and Harding.
In a statement, he said the club was devastated by the incident. He noted that the memories of the missing crew members would help inspire the exploration community.
How was the wreckage found?
A remote-controlled underwater vehicle was able to find the debris. It included a tail cone. Authorities were able to confirm that the items came from the Titan.
The head of the search operation, Rear Adm Mauger, said that he did not know if the bodies of the missing individuals would be recovered.
He said the conditions at the bottom of the sea were very challenging. Despite the presence of ROVs, the search crews will be sent home on Monday.
According to experts, conducting studies on the debris, such as the main hull’s carbon fiber, could provide a key to the cause of the incident.
If the main housing of the submersible had failed, it could have caused it to collapse, as it would have been subjected to tremendous pressure. According to Professor Blair Thornton, this could have resulted in an implosion of the structure.
How will Titan investigators find out what happened?
This week, authorities learned that an aircraft could hear underwater sounds that some believe were a sign that the people aboard the sunken vessel were still alive.
However, the Coast Guard noted that the noises were unrelated to the debris found on the seafloor. The Titanic wreck is around 370 miles off Newfoundland’s coast.
