The US Coast Guard has released the first image of the Titan submersible wreckage, revealing the devastating aftermath of the catastrophic implosion that killed all five people on board in June 2023, CNN reports.
The photo, shared as investigators opened a hearing into the tragedy, shows the submersible’s broken tail cone on the ocean floor, confirming the vessel’s catastrophic collapse.
The wreckage, located several hundred yards from the Titanic shipwreck, was discovered by a remotely operated vehicle on June 22, 2023. The Marine Board of Investigation, conducting the hearing, presented the photo as “conclusive evidence” of the implosion.
The five victims – Stockton Rush, the CEO of OceanGate, Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman Dawood, Hamish Harding, and Paul-Henri Nargeolet – were identified through DNA analysis of the recovered remains.
The hearing, which will continue until September 27, is expected to delve into the circumstances leading up to the tragedy, focusing on “pre-accident historical events, regulatory compliance, crew member duties and qualifications, mechanical and structural systems, emergency response and the submersible industry,” according to the Coast Guard.
The board also revealed the Titan’s final message, sent just six seconds before it lost contact with the surface: “Dropped two wts,” referring to the weights the submersible could shed in an attempt to return to the surface. This message, followed by a final “ping”, underscores the desperate efforts of the crew before the fatal implosion.
While the primary objective of the hearing is to uncover the facts surrounding the incident, Board Chair Jason Neubauer acknowledged the group is also tasked with identifying “misconduct or negligence by credential mariners.” He further stated that any indication of criminal activity would be referred to the Department of Justice.
