The US Coast Guard unveiled the first image of the Titan submersible on Monday, following its tragic implosion in June 2023, as officials commenced a public hearing into the incident that claimed the lives of five individuals onboard.
The newly released photograph shows the Titan's damaged tail cone resting on the ocean floor, along with other debris scattered in the Atlantic. This marks the first time the public has seen the wreckage since the implosion.
During its final descent, the crew communicated with the support ship, the Polar Prince. When asked if the Titan could still see the ship’s display, the crew replied, “all good here.” Shortly thereafter, they sent a last message stating “dropped two wts,” indicating they had released two weights in an effort to ascend back to the surface.
The Titan vanished on June 18, 2023, after losing contact with its support vessel while diving approximately 400 miles off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada.
Among those onboard were Stockton Rush, the submersible’s CEO; Shahzada Dawood, a British-Pakistani businessman; his 19-year-old son, Suleman; British explorer Hamish Harding; and Paul-Henri Nargeolet, a renowned French maritime expert with extensive knowledge of the Titanic wreck site.
In the aftermath of the incident, Nargeolet’s family filed a lawsuit against OceanGate , alleging the company misled him about the safety of the submersible. Following the disaster, OceanGate halted its commercial and exploratory activities.
Wreckage from the Titan was located four days after its disappearance, approximately a third of a mile from the Titanic. Subsequent recovery efforts revealed human remains among the debris.
The newly released photograph shows the Titan's damaged tail cone resting on the ocean floor, along with other debris scattered in the Atlantic. This marks the first time the public has seen the wreckage since the implosion.
During its final descent, the crew communicated with the support ship, the Polar Prince. When asked if the Titan could still see the ship’s display, the crew replied, “all good here.” Shortly thereafter, they sent a last message stating “dropped two wts,” indicating they had released two weights in an effort to ascend back to the surface.
The Titan vanished on June 18, 2023, after losing contact with its support vessel while diving approximately 400 miles off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada.
Among those onboard were Stockton Rush, the submersible’s CEO; Shahzada Dawood, a British-Pakistani businessman; his 19-year-old son, Suleman; British explorer Hamish Harding; and Paul-Henri Nargeolet, a renowned French maritime expert with extensive knowledge of the Titanic wreck site.
In the aftermath of the incident, Nargeolet’s family filed a lawsuit against OceanGate , alleging the company misled him about the safety of the submersible. Following the disaster, OceanGate halted its commercial and exploratory activities.
Wreckage from the Titan was located four days after its disappearance, approximately a third of a mile from the Titanic. Subsequent recovery efforts revealed human remains among the debris.
