All five passengers were killed, and the missing Titanic submersible was destroyed in a “catastrophic implosion”

Titan, the unaccounted-for deep-sea submarine taking five passengers to the Titanic’s century-old remains, was destroyed during the dive in a “catastrophic implosion.” The US Coast Guard said on Thursday that all five onboard had perished, bringing an international five-day search for the vessel to an end.

According to US Coast Guard Rear Admiral John Mauger and Reuters, a robotic diving vehicle from a Canadian ship discovered a debris field from the submersible Titan on the seabed on Thursday morning about 1,600 feet (488 metres) from the Titanic’s bow, 4 km below the surface.

According to a Reuters article, OceanGate Expeditions’ Titan, a 21-foot submersible, lost touch with the surface vehicle on Sunday morning as it descended to the Titanic shipwreck, which is located 12,500 feet beneath.

The passengers included Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman, British millionaire Hamish Harding, French oceanographer and Navy veteran Paul-Henri Nargeolet, and OceaGate CEO Stockton Rush. The Titan’s pilot was Rush.

The OceanGate stated in a statement that “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,” it said.

Officials in charge of search and rescue said that the victims most likely passed away on Sunday, before military aircraft using sonar buoys heard what they believed to be SOS “banging sounds” in the ocean.

In a news conference, Mauger said, “The implosion would have generated a significant, broadband sound that the sonar buoys would have picked up.”

The Titan’s tail section and two pieces of the pressure hull were among five significant Titan pieces discovered in the Titan’s wreckage. However, there was no mention of finding any human remains.

Rescue crews from many countries have been scouring the wide waters over thousands of square miles for the Titan for five days with aircraft and ships.