On Wednesday, the US Coast Guard reported that “Presumed human remains” were found among the debris and evidence retrieved from the seafloor where the wreckage of the ill-fated Titan submersible was located.
These remains were discovered “within the wreckage” of the underwater vehicle, as mentioned in a press release by the Coast Guard.
This information has been shared almost a week following the declaration that the vessel intended for the Titanic had succumbed to a disastrous implosion in the North Atlantic, claiming the lives of all five onboard.
The presumed remains will undergo analysis by US medical specialists, as stated by the military division. They form part of the evidence gathered from the submersible, which was brought to a Canadian dock on Wednesday.
Pelagic Research Services, the entity responsible for the remotely operated vehicles that retrieved Titan’s remains from the depths, has announced that the offshore task has been “successfully completed”.
Among the debris unloaded from the anchor handling ship, Horizon Arctic, at the Canadian Coast Guard pier in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, was a white panel-like fragment — larger than the two men who were maneuvering it on land.
There was also another similar-sized section entwined with cords and wires and wrapped in white tarp, as seen in the pictures taken by Paul Daly of The Canadian Press.
The specifics of these parts remain undetermined. The Titan, a carbon fiber and titanium construction, weighed 23,000 pounds and had the capacity to accommodate just five adults, as per OceanGate Expeditions.
This company utilized the craft as part of their extreme tourism package, which offered tourists an intimate view of the century-old Titanic wreckage at a cost of $250,000 per individual.
The team members “have been working around the clock now for 10 days, confronting the physical and mental demands of this operation, and are eager to complete the mission and reunite with their families,” according to the company’s statement.
Pelagic Research Services declined to answer any inquiries regarding the Titan’s tragedy, directing all queries to the US Coast Guard.
They clarified that their team is not authorized to share any details related to the investigation. A press conference will be scheduled at their East Aurora, New York base once “our team has regrouped,” they added.
The OceanGate submersible, along with its five passengers, commenced its journey to the 111-year-old Titanic wreckage on the morning of June 18.
Roughly an hour and 45 minutes into the expedition, the vessel lost connection with its mothership and didn’t resurface as expected.
This ignited an extensive, multi-day, international search and rescue mission that held the global attention.
On the following Thursday, the US Coast Guard revealed that a “catastrophic implosion” had occurred onboard the vessel, presumably killing everyone on board.
The tail cone and other debris were located approximately 1,600 feet from the Titanic’s bow by a remotely operated vehicle.
Over the course of the weekend, the military division reported the establishment of a Marine Board of Investigation to examine the causes of the implosion and provide potential recommendations “to pursue civil or criminal sanctions as necessary.”
The Coast Guard announced on Wednesday in its news release that those assigned to the investigative board are currently collecting evidence and questioning witnesses, anticipating a public hearing for further witness testimonies.
“There is still a substantial amount of work to be done to understand the factors that led to the catastrophic loss of the Titan and help ensure a similar tragedy does not occur again,” said Capt. Jason Neubauer, the leader of the investigative board, on Wednesday.
