The operator of a submersible vehicle that went missing while trying to view the Titanic wreckage in the Atlantic Ocean said that it’s likely all five people on board have died, while U.S. Coast Guard officials said a “catastrophic implosion” likely occurred.
“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,” OceanGate said in a statement on Thursday afternoon, coming hours after the U.S. Coast Guard confirmed it had found a “debris field” near the Titanic.
“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. This is an extremely sad time for our dedicated employees who are exhausted and grieving deeply over this loss,” the statement continued to say….