The Coast Guard Marine Board of Investigation has released remotely operated vehicle footage of the Titan submersible’s tail cone in support of the hearing in North Charleston, South Carolina, on Tuesday.
NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. – The first footage showing the wreckage of OceanGate Expeditions’ Titan submersible has been released since the vessel’s implosion last year.
The U.S. Coast Guard Marine Board of Investigation (MBI) unveiled the video on Tuesday during a public hearing in North Charleston, South Carolina. The footage, captured by a remotely operated vehicle, shows the catastrophic implosion of the 22-foot submersible on June 18, 2023, resulting in the tragic loss of all five people aboard.
The victims included Stockton Rush, the CEO of OceanGate; British businessman Hamish Harding; British-Pakistani billionaire Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman Dawood; and French diver Paul-Henri Nargeolet. They were attempting to dive to the Titanic, which rests approximately 12,500 feet below the surface of the Atlantic Ocean, several hundred miles off the coast of Canada. The legendary ocean liner sank in 1912 after striking an iceberg during its maiden voyage, claiming the lives of over 1,500 people.
HOW THE TITANIC WAS TAKEN DOWN BY A MIRAGE
The first footage showing the wreckage of the Titan submersible was released by the US Coast Guard Marine Board of Investigation on Tuesday, as part of a public hearing into the vessel’s 2023 implosion.
(U.S. Coast Guard video courtesy of Pelagic Research Services)
“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 said in a statement following the implosion. “Our hearts are with these five souls and every member of their families during this tragic time.”
The footage, captured four days after the implosion, shows the submersible’s severed tail cone and other debris. A piece of carbon fiber is visible beside the tail cone. Officials said the debris was located near the bow of the Titanic’s final resting place, about 2.5 miles below the ocean’s surface.
MISSING TITANIC TOURIST SUBMERSIBLE DEBRIS FIELD FOUND ON SEA FLOOR AFTER DAYS OF SEARCHING
The Coast Guard convened the MBI to investigate the causes of the Titan submersible’s destruction. The public hearing began on Tuesday as 24 witnesses are scheduled to testify over an estimated two-week period.
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In a previous interview with FOX Weather (seen above), Rush described his expeditions as “mission specialist” trips, costing tourists $250,000 each. He emphasized that these were not merely tourist excursions but required active participation from the passengers.
OceanGate successfully completed over a dozen similar expeditions worldwide, with Titan being the only submersible in its fleet equipped with a toilet.