Hours after pieces of wreckage from the imploded Titan submersible were brought out of the Atlantic Ocean on Wednesday, June 28, the US Coast Guard announced that what they “presume” to be human remains were also discovered. Per CNN, the Coast Guard said they were recovered from the ocean floor around the field of debris near the Titanic shipwreck, and were found “within the wreckage” of the Titan submersible. The Coast Guard also said the presumed remains would be transported by boat to the United States to be analyzed by medical professionals.
Earlier in the day, recognizable pieces of the OceanGate vessel, some covered by white tarps, were photographed being unloaded from ships and delivered to the Canadian Coast Guard pier in St John’s, Newfoundland. The discoveries potentially bring even more closure to the previous mystery surrounding the tourist submersible, which went missing on June 18 after setting out to explore the Titanic shipwreck. A massive search ensued, ending four days later on June 22. The submersible was later confirmed to have suffered a “catastrophic implosion,” killing all five on board.
OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, Titanic expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet, Shahzada Dawood and his 19-year-old son Suleman Dawood, and billionaire Hamish Harding were confirmed on June 22nd to be the victims of the fatal tragedy. “In consultation with experts from within the Unified Command, the debris is consistent with the catastrophic loss of the pressure chamber,” U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral John Mauger explained in a statement last week of the “five major pieces of debris” found near the Titanic. “Upon this determination, we immediately notified the families.”
OceanGate issued a statement in the hours following the announcement. “These men were true explorers who shared a distinct spirit of adventure, and a deep passion for exploring and protecting the world’s oceans,” the statement read in part. “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.”