An image of the wreckage of the Titan submersible, which imploded in June of last year, was revealed for the first time on Monday by the U.S. Coast Guard, as part of a hearing that has been opened regarding the tragedy and is expected to run until September 27.
The image – captured by a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) – shows the cone of the rear part of the submersible, which ultimately broke apart during the implosion, on the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, along with other debris from the vessel.
The presentation that accompanies the image highlights that, on June 22, 2023, at 10:50 AM (local time), the ROV “discovered the tail cone and other debris of the Titan on the seabed after an exhaustive search.” “This discovery led to conclusive proof of the catastrophic loss of the Titan submersible and the death of all five members on board,” the presentation adds.
The image was collected by a remotely operated underwater vehicle
U.S. Coast Guard
It is worth noting that the submersible Titan imploded in June 2023 during a dive to the wreckage of the Titanic, resulting in the death of the five crew members. Those on board included Stockton Rush, founder and CEO of OceanGate (the company that operated the submersible), British-Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman Dawood, British adventurer Hamish Harding, and French diver Paul-Henri Nargeolet.
The wreckage of the submersible was found hundreds of meters from the site where the Titanic lies (which sank in 1912 on its maiden voyage), after several days of searching.
Last Message Sent
The presentation also reveals the last message sent by the Titan crew before the implosion. “We dropped two wts” (meaning that the submersible would have released two weights): the message was sent to the mother ship at 10:47 AM (local time), when the submersible was at a depth of about 3,341 meters. Six seconds later, the Titan lost contact with the surface, and at 10:49 AM (local time), the mother ship reported losing track of the submersible.
The information now disclosed by the U.S. Coast Guard also emphasizes that, during the two rescue operations, presumed human remains were recovered from the ocean floor where the Titan wreckage was located, which were then transported to land.
Through DNA, authorities were able to confirm that the remains found belonged to the five crew members who were on board the submersible.
During the hearing, ten former employees of OceanGate will testify, as the company has suspended all operations. The investigation aims to determine what happened and whether any criminal activity or negligence contributed to the implosion.