Four months after the submersible Titan imploded during a deep-sea mission toward the wreck of the Titanic, the Coast Guard has recovered the remaining debris, including presumed human remains.
The OceanGate underwater vessel disappeared June 18 during a trip to survey the tomb of the Titanic with five people on board, triggering an international panic to find them. Officials said the submersible suffered a “catastrophic implosion” in its underwater descent, killing all on board.
The Coast Guard said in a statement Tuesday that its Marine Board of Investigation, or MBI, has recovered and transferred the remaining Titan submersible debris and evidence from the North Atlantic Ocean floor in a follow-up salvage mission.
"Additional presumed human remains were carefully recovered from within Titan’s debris and transported for analysis by U.S. medical professionals," the Coast Guard said. Recovered evidence was transferred to an unspecified U.S. port for cataloging and analysis.
The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board and the Transportation Safety Board of Canada were part of the salvage expedition.
The Marine Board of Investigation will coordinate with the NTSB and other international investigative agencies to schedule a joint review of the recovered Titan debris and determine the next steps for forensic testing.
“The MBI will continue evidence analysis and witness interviews ahead of a public hearing regarding this tragedy,” the statement said.
Killed in the implosion were Titan passengers Stockton Rush, the CEO of OceanGate Expeditions; British billionaire Hamish Harding, the owner of Action Aviation; French dive expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet; and prominent Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his son, Suleman.
OceanGate has suspended its exploration and commercial operations.
