The company responsible for operating the submarine that tragically imploded during a dive to the Titanic wreck, resulting in the loss of all five lives on board, including two individuals from Pakistan, announced the indefinite suspension of all its activities.
The Titan submarine had been reported missing on June 18, and on June 22, the US Coast Guard confirmed that the vessel had experienced a catastrophic implosion, effectively ending the rescue operation that had captivated global attention.
OceanGate, a US-based company, stated on its website that it had decided to “suspend all exploration and commercial operations” two weeks after the incident, which claimed the life of the company’s CEO, Stockton Rush.
Among the other individuals aboard the submarine were British explorer Hamish Harding, French submarine expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet, Engro Corp Vice Chairman Shahzada Dawood, and his 19-year-old son Suleman.
Last week, experts recovered presumed human remains from the wreckage of the submarine, which was found on the ocean floor and brought to the port of St. John’s, Newfoundland, in eastern Canada.
It is believed that the victims perished instantly when the Titan, approximately the size of an SUV car, collapsed under the immense pressure of the North Atlantic at a depth of over two miles (nearly four kilometers).
A debris field was discovered 1,600 feet (500 meters) from the bow of the Titanic, which rests 400 miles off the coast of Newfoundland.
OceanGate Expeditions charged $250,000 for a seat on its submarine, but concerns regarding its safety policies had previously come to light following the implosion.
Both the US Coast Guard and Canadian authorities have initiated investigations into the cause of the tragedy, which occurred after the Titan lost contact approximately one hour and forty-five minutes after descending into the ocean.
The Titanic famously struck an iceberg and sank during its inaugural voyage from England to New York in 1912, resulting in the loss of more than 1,500 lives among the 2,224 passengers and crew on board. Since its discovery in 1985, the Titanic has remained a site of great interest for maritime experts and underwater tourists.
