Coast Guard Confirms Five People Dead After Submersible Goes Missing During Voyage to Titanic Wreckage

Five people who were aboard a submersible that went missing during a voyage to the wreckage of the Titanic have been confirmed dead, the U.S. Coast Guard and the company that operated the vessel, OceanGate, said Thursday.

During a press conference, Rear Admiral John Mauger said that five major pieces of debris found “approximately 1,600 feet from the bow of the Titanic on the sea floor” signaled to authorities that it was the remains of the submersible. An ROV, or remotely operated vehicle, from a Canadian vessel found the tail cone of the sub about 1,600 feet from the bow of the Titanic on Thursday morning.

Mauger said during a briefing in Boston on Thursday afternoon that the debris found in the search area was consistent with a “catastrophic implosion of the vessel.” He added that the environment on the sea floor is “incredibly unforgiving.”

The Coast Guard had been searching for the missing submersible since it went missing on Wednesday. The five people on board the vessel were identified as the pilot and four passengers.

The search for the missing submersible has been called off, and the Coast Guard is now focusing on recovering the remains of the passengers and pilot. The cause of the accident is still under investigation.