OceanGate has announced that the five people onboard a missing submersible have died.
“These men were true explorers who shared a distinct spirit of adventure, and a deep passion for exploring and protecting the world’s oceans. Our hearts are with these five souls and every member of their families during this tragic time. We grieve the loss of life and joy they brought to everyone they knew,” the statement continued.
Getty; OceanGate; Getty (2)
In a press conference on Thursday, the U.S. Coast Guard confirmed that an ROV discovered debris 1,600 feet from the bough of the tailbone of the ‘Titanic’ wreckage on the sea floor.
The Coast Guard said that the debris that they found was consistent with the catastrophic loss of pressure in the ‘Titan’ chamber.
Paul-Henry Nargeolet, Hamish Harding, Stockton Rush.EVARISTO SA/AFP via Getty; Victoria Sirakova/Getty; OceanGate
EVARISTO SA/AFP via Getty; Victoria Sirakova/Getty; OceanGate
“This is an extremely sad time for our dedicated employees who are exhausted and grieving deeply over this loss,” read the company statement. “The entire OceanGate family is deeply grateful for the countless men and women from multiple organisations of the international community who expedited wide-ranging resources and have worked so very hard on this mission.”
“We appreciate their commitment to finding these five explorers, and their days and nights of tireless work in support of our crew and their families. This is a very sad time for the entire explorer community, and for each of the family members of those lost at sea,” the statement concluded. “We respectfully ask that the privacy of these families be respected during this most painful time.”
Suleman Dawood and Shahzada Dawood.DAWOOD HERCULES CORPORATION/AFP via Getty Images
DAWOOD HERCULES CORPORATION/AFP via Getty Images
The OceanGate Expedition submersible namedTitanwent missingon Sunday while venturing into the depths of the North Atlantic Ocean to view theTitanicwreckage.
The Coast Guardannouncedjust before 12 p.m. ET on Thursday that a remotely-operated vehicle (ROV) had discovered “a debris field” within the search area near theTitanic.
OceanGates’s statement was shared shortly before the conference began.
The searchfor theTitanbegan shortly after the sub “lost all communication” with Canadian expedition vessel Polar Prince “approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes” into its dive, United States Coast Guard Captain Jamie Frederick said at a press conference in Boston on Tuesday.
TheTitanwas equipped with an estimated 96 hours of oxygen at the start of the expedition, according to Frederick.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
PEOPLE has confirmed the passengers on the vessel were OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, Pakistani businessmanShahzada Dawood, his son Suleman Dawood,TitanicexpertPaul-Henri Nargeoletand British billionaireHamish Harding, who serves as chairman for Action Aviation.
Action Aviation said the sub“had a successful launch”at 4 a.m. on Sunday. The company also shared an image of Harding prior to boarding theTitan.
“It’s a target, it’s a focus for us to look at,” Rear Admiral John Mauger toldCBS Morningsof the noises, though he added, “We don’t know the source of that noise."
“This is an incredibly complex case,” Mauger added when asked if he was optimistic about the rescue mission.
“Hey, we’re headed out tomorrow, it looks good, the weather’s been bad so they’ve been waiting for this,” the 58-year-old billionaire wrote, according to Virts.
The Oceangate submersible Titan.Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
In a statement released after the tragic news was shared, the Explorers Club shared a statement mourning the loss of the five men.
“Hamish Harding is a dear friend to me personally and to The Explorers Club. He holds several world records and has continued to push dragons off maps both in person and through supporting expeditions and worthy causes. Paul-Henri was elected to the Club in 2001 and was one of the foremost experts on submersible expeditions to theTitanic. They were both drawn to explore, like so many of us, and did so in the name of meaningful science for the betterment of mankind,” the president added. “They pushed themselves in their entrepreneurial pursuits as they did in exploration. Stockton Rush was a friend of The Explorers Club and conducted lectures at our headquarters.”
“While we did not know Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman personally, their desire to explore as a family would have led them to our doorstep at some point in their futures, where we would have welcomed them,” the statement continued. “We’re heartbroken for the families, friends and colleagues of those who were lost. Their memories will be a blessing and will continue to inspire us in the name of science and exploration.”
source: people.com
