The Coast Guard has recovered additional debris, including presumed human remains, from a submersible that imploded while on its way to explore the wreck of the Titanic. The recovery and transfer of the remaining parts was completed last week, and a photo showed the intact aft titanium endcap of the vessel. The Coast Guard carefully recovered additional presumed human remains from within the debris and transported them for analysis by U.S. medical professionals. This salvage mission follows the initial recovery operations conducted on the ocean floor near the Titanic.
The new materials were offloaded at an undisclosed port for further examination. The Coast Guard had previously found presumed human remains and parts of the Titan after locating the debris field at a depth of 12,500 feet. Investigators believe that the submersible imploded during its descent into the deep North Atlantic waters in June. The multinational salvage expedition attracted global attention as it aimed to view the remains of the British passenger liner that sank in 1912.
The Coast Guard’s Marine Board of Investigation, in collaboration with the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board and the Transportation Safety Board of Canada, participated in the salvage operation. A joint review of the evidence will be scheduled with international investigative agencies to determine the next steps for forensic testing. Meanwhile, the Marine Board of Investigation will continue its analysis and witness interviews as it prepares for a public hearing on the tragedy. The operator of the vessel, OceanGate, has since ceased operations, and among those who lost their lives in the implosion was Stockton Rush, the CEO and pilot of the submersible.
