First Image of OceanGate’s Titan submersible wreck released

The U.S. Coast Guard has released the first image of the wreckage of OceanGate’s Titan submersible, which imploded during a dive to the Titanic wreck in June 2023, killing all five on board.

The photo, taken by a remotely operated vehicle (ROV), shows the vessel’s tail cone resting on the seabed at a depth of 12,500 feet in the North Atlantic Ocean.

This image was presented during a hearing in Charleston, South Carolina, on September 16, 2024, as part of the ongoing investigation into the causes of the disaster.

The Coast Guard confirmed that the photo provides “conclusive evidence of a catastrophic loss” of the submersible and the deaths of its passengers.

Among those who perished were explorer Paul-Henri Nargeolet, adventurer Hamish Harding, Shahzada and Suleman Dawood, a father and son, and Stockton Rush, co-founder of OceanGate, the company behind the ill-fated expedition.

The Titan lost communication with its support vessel, Polar Prince, on June 18, 2023, shortly after starting its descent to the Titanic wreck.

After extensive searches, the ROV located the tail cone and other debris four days later, confirming the submersible’s destruction.

The hearing included an animated video outlining the sub’s final dive.

Jason Neubauer from the Coast Guard’s Office of Investigations emphasized that the investigation aims to determine the causes of the incident and prevent future tragedies.

OceanGate, which has since ceased operations, expressed condolences to the victims’ families and highlighted the importance of the inquiry in understanding the disaster.