An unmanned robotic vehicle deployed from a Canadian ship discovered debris from the Titan submersible on the morning of June 22nd, on the seabed about 1,600 feet (488 meters) from the bow of the Titanic, 4 kilometers below the surface in the North Atlantic, U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral John Mauger told reporters in Boston.

The Titan, operated by the US-based company OceanGate Expeditions, went missing shortly after losing contact with a support vessel on the surface on the morning of June 18. Photo: Reuters

“We immediately notified the families of the victims aboard the Titan submersible. On behalf of the U.S. Coast Guard and the entire Joint Command, I extend my deepest condolences to the families of the victims,” Mauger shared.

U.S. Coast Guard officials also said that five major pieces of debris from the Titan have been found, including the stern of the ship and two sections of the hull. “The debris here is consistent with a catastrophic explosion,” Mauger said.

Even before the press conference took place, OceanGate had issued a statement saying that none of the five men on board the Titan survived, including the company's founder and CEO, Stockton Rush, who was piloting the Titan.

The other four are British billionaire and explorer Hamish Harding, 58; Pakistani-born business tycoon Shahzada Dawood, 48, and his 19-year-old son Suleman, both British citizens; and French oceanographer and Titanic expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet, 77, who has visited the wreck dozens of times.

A company representative stated, “They were all true adventurers, people who shared a passion for exploring and protecting the world ’s oceans. Our hearts go out to these five souls and all members of their families.”

Rear Admiral John Mauger of the U.S. Coast Guard speaks to reporters in Boston. Photo: Reuters.

Mr. Mauger also stated that it was too early to conclude when the ship encountered the problem. During the search operation, sonar buoys were deployed underwater for more than three days and did not detect any loud noises during that time. In particular, on June 20th and 21st, the buoys picked up some sounds, raising hopes that those on board the Titan were still alive and trying to communicate by tapping on the hull. However, officials believe the noise may not have originated from the Titan.

The underwater robot will continue to collect evidence, however it is still uncertain whether recovering the bodies is feasible due to the nature of the accident and the harsh conditions at that depth.

On June 22nd, British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly expressed his deepest condolences and announced support for the families of the victims of the Titan disaster.

Since the Titanic wreck was discovered in 1985, many tourists and professional divers have spent large sums of money to visit the wreck. Accordingly, a tourist has to spend about $250,000 at Ocean Gate to see the Titanic wreck firsthand.

The Titan, operated by the US-based OceanGate Expeditions, went missing shortly after losing contact with surface support vessels on the morning of June 18, approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes after descending during its planned two-hour voyage.

MINH ANH ( compiled)