OceanGate Expeditions, the company leading the search for the Titan submersible, which was attempting to reach the wreckage of the Titanic, has confirmed that all on board are believed to be dead.

Debris from the Titan submersible was located on the ocean floor about 1,600 feet from the Titanic’s bow on June 22.

Recovery of the landing frame and rear cover of the submersible at 12,500 feet deep, suggests the Titan experienced a fatal breach and imploded under the tremendous water pressure, leading to the instantaneous loss of all on board.

OceanGate is deeply saddened by the deaths of CEO Stockton Rush, Paul-Henri Nargeolet, Hamish Harding, Shahzada Dawood, and Suleman Dawood, all of whom were known for their adventurous spirits and dedication to ocean conservation. The company extended its deepest condolences to the victims’ families and asked for their privacy to be respected during this difficult time.

David Mearns, a friend of two crew members, confirmed the harsh reality, saying the crew would have been oblivious to their impending death. 

Experts had previously warned about the risk of the submersible leaking and imploding due to the deep-sea pressure.

The search for the submersible was a joint effort involving several organizations, with the Canadian vessel Horizon Arctic using the Odysseus 6k remote-operated vehicle (ROV) to explore the ocean depths. Continuous banging sounds were detected during the search, but the source remains unknown.

As the 96-hour oxygen supply on the submersible came close to being exhausted, the world nervously waited for updates.

The family of Hamish Harding, one of the crew members, has criticized the eight-hour delay in reporting the submersible’s disappearance. Despite dwindling hope and increasing challenges, search operations continued with the hope of a miracle, which tragically did not happen.