The US Coast Guard authorities has revealed that the debris found during the search for the submersible that went missing during a tourist expedition was “consistent with a catastrophic implosion of the vessel”.
Authorities made this known during a press briefing on Thursday.
OceanGate, the vessel’s operator, said its pilot and chief executive Stockton Rush, along with passengers 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,” OceanGate Expeditions said in a statement. “Our hearts are with these five souls and every member of their families during this tragic time.”
An unmanned deep-sea robot deployed from a Canadian ship discovered the wreckage of the submersible on Thursday morning about 1,600 feet (488 meters) from the bow of the century-old wreck, 2-1/2 miles (4 km) below the surface, U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral John Mauger said at a press conference.
“The outpouring of support in this highly complex search operation has been great appreciated,” Mauger said. “Our most heartfelt condolences go out to the friends and loved ones of the crew.”
The CoastGuard official said it was too early to tell exactly when the catastrophic implosion occurred.
