By Tony O’Reilly-
All five passengers on board the Titan submersible are assumed died, the US Coast Guard says
Rear admiral Mauger confirmed that five parts of the vessel were found approximately 1600ft from the bow of the Titanic wreck
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The debris discovered was consistent with a “catastrophic implosion”, he told a news conference
Admiral John Mauger – who led the search – confirmed that a remotely operated vehicle had discovered the nose cone of the lost submersible about 487m (1,600ft) from the bow of the Titanic on the seafloor.
According to reports, more debris was found nearby, with Rear Admiral Mauger adding: “In consultation with experts from within unified command, the debris is consistent with the catastrophic loss of the pressure chamber.
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“On behalf of US Coast Guard and entire unified command, I offer deepest condolences to the families. I can only imagine what this has been like for them, and I hope this discovery provides some solace during this difficult time.
The rear admiral says he cannot confirm whether the bodies can be recovered, saying it is an “incredibly unforgiving environment”
Offering the Coast Guard’s deepest condolences to the families, the rear admiral adds: “I can only imagine what this has been like for them”
The vessel operator OceanGate said: “Our hearts are with these five souls and every member of their families during this tragic time”
The submersible went missing on Sunday after setting off to explore the wreck of the Titanic
Minutes before the news conference, OceanGate – which owned the submersible – released a statement that said: “We now believe that our CEO Stockton Rush, Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman Dawood, Hamish Harding, and Paul-Henri Nargeolet, have sadly been lost.
“These men were true explorers who shared a distinct spirit of adventure, and a deep passion for exploring and protecting the world’s oceans.
“Our hearts are with these five souls and every member of their families during this tragic time. We grieve the loss of life and joy they brought to everyone they knew.”
According to reports debris were found which were believed to be linked to the missing submersible – but nonetheless, it is a potential breakthrough in an increasingly urgent, round-the-clock rescue effort.
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