OceanGate, the private company behind the $250,000-per-seat expedition, has confirmed that all five passengers aboard the ship are now presumed dead. During a press conference on Thursday, the US Coast Guard revealed that they had discovered the missing Titan’s pressure chamber along with other debris.
The pressure chamber was located approximately 1,600 feet from the Titanic’s bow on the ocean floor.
The people identified by their relatives are Stockton Rush, the founder and CEO of OceanGate Expeditions; Hamish Harding, a British billionaire; Paul-Henri Nargeolet, renowned French diver; Shahzada Dawood, a Pakistani billionaire and his 19-year-old son Suleman.
Titanic
The aunt of the teenage passenger, now presumed dead after the Titanic submarine implosion, stated that he was reportedly terrified of the expedition.
In an interview published before the tragedy, Azmeh Dawood, Dawood’s sister, shared with NBC News that her nephew was filled with fear and reluctantly agreed to join the expedition due to his father’s intense fascination with the Titanic.
Suleman reportedly expressed his apprehension to family members and admitted that he was not enthusiastic about the tour.
He further mentioned that the trip coincided with Father’s Day weekend and that he was determined to make his father happy by participating in the expedition.
“I feel like I got caught up in a really bad movie, with a countdown, but you didn’t know what you were counting for.” Ms. Dawood told NBC. “Personally I’ve found it a little hard to breathe thinking about them.”
Expressing her strong sentiment, Ms. Dawood stated that she would not have boarded the Titan if she was offered a million dollars.
He also emphasized his deep grief, revealing his deep anguish, just before the US Coast Guard announced that remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) had discovered debris associated with the Titan.
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“I feel really bad that the whole world has had to go through so much trauma and suspense,” she said.
A prominent staff member raised serious concerns about the Titan’s safety five years before the tragedy. OceanGate fired David Lochridge, the director of marine operations, in 2018 for breach of contract, alleging that he disclosed secret information about the company’s designs to two people and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
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However, in a wrongful termination lawsuit obtained by The New Republic, Mr. Lochridge countered that he was fired for speaking out about Titan-related safety issues.
As stated in the lawsuit, Mr. Lochridge provided substantial updates to senior management, including OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, expressing serious concerns about the ship’s quality control.
It highlighted several alleged problems, including “visible defects” in the carbon fiber hull, “widespread defects” in a scale model, the presence of flammable materials on board, a viewing window that was not rated for depth comparable to the of the Titanic, and the absence of crucial security documents that were not shared with him.
In a statement issued Thursday night, OceanGate expressed its deep sorrow over the loss of all five passengers aboard the Titan and expressed its gratitude to international authorities for their dedicated efforts.
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“These men were true explorers who shared a distinctive spirit of adventure and a deep passion for exploring and protecting the world’s oceans.” the press release said.
“Our hearts go out to these five souls and each member of their families during this tragic time. We are sorry for the loss of life and the joy they brought to everyone they knew. This is an extremely sad time for our dedicated employees, who are exhausted and “I am deeply saddened by this loss. The entire OceanGate family is deeply grateful for the countless men and women from multiple organizations in the international community who expedited a wide range of resources and have worked very hard on this mission.”
According to the US Coast Guard, there is a possibility that the bodies of the five passengers may never be recovered from the Atlantic Ocean.
Although Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) will continue to be deployed, the Coast Guard has announced that the equipment will be phased out over the next 48 hours.
The Rear Admiral reported that sonar buoys had been deployed during the last 72 hours, but no indication of an implosion was detected. This suggests that the unfortunate incident probably occurred early during the dive.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn