Titanic Sub Latest: Human Remains Found
The U.S. Coast Guard announced the grim discovery this week
Over the past two weeks, the tragedy of OceanGate, the private submersible that disappeared during a trip deep into the ocean to explore the wreckage of the Titanic, has gripped the world. On board the ill-fated exploration trip was British businessman Hamish Harding; Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his teenage son, Suleman; French explorer Paul-Henri Nargeolet; and Stockton Rush, the CEO of the company that operates the submersible. Last week the rescue mission can to a halt when the wreckage of the subversive was identified near the Titanic's final resting palace. And this week, recovery teams claim they recovered human remains.
The U.S. Coast Guard says it has likely recovered human remains from the wreckage of the OceanGate Titan submersible, reports PBS. The vessel, which imploded upon impact, immediately killed all five people on board.
The remains along with all other debris from the submarine are being returned to port in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.
"I am grateful for the coordinated international and interagency support to recover and preserve this vital evidence at extreme offshore distances and depths," U.S. Coast Guard Chief Capt. Jason Neubauer said in a statement.
"The evidence will provide investigators from several international jurisdictions with critical insights into the cause of this tragedy. 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."
An ROV owned by Pelagic Research Services from the Canadian ship Horizon Arctic searched the ocean floor near the wreckage as part of the recovery mission. They told PBS that the team is "still on mission" and cannot comment on the ongoing Titan investigation.
"They have been working around the clock now for ten days, through the physical and mental challenges of this operation, and are anxious to finish the mission and return to their loved ones," said Jeff Mahoney, a spokesperson for the company.