Titan submersible's haunting first image emerges year after tragic implosion
1. Titan's tail cone, other debris were located by remotely operated vehicle on June 22 last year, Marine Board of Investigation says
The United States Coast Guard has released a chilling image of the Titan submersible, revealing the damage from its catastrophic implosion for the first time since the tragic event.
The photo surfaced as investigators began a hearing on Monday, delving into the incident more than a year after it occurred, CNN reported. Last June, the submersible tragically ended its dive to the Titanic shipwreck, resulting in the deaths of all five people aboard.
The haunting image, taken during the intense search operation in June of the previous year, shows the submersible's shattered tail cone lying in the murky depths of the North Atlantic Ocean. The fragmented tail cone, with its jagged edges, was found near other pieces of the vessel, several hundred yards from the Titanic's location, according to investigators at the hearing in North Charleston, South Carolina.
The hearing, which is set to continue until September 27, was introduced with a presentation from the Marine Board of Investigation. The board revealed that the tail cone and other debris were located by a remotely operated vehicle on June 22 last year. This image, they stated, provides "conclusive evidence" of a catastrophic implosion, caused by immense underwater pressure.
The implosion claimed the lives of Stockton Rush, the founder and CEO of the vessel’s operator; businessman Shahzada Dawood and his 19-year-old son, Suleman Dawood; adventurer Hamish Harding; and French diver Paul-Henri Nargeolet. The Marine Board of Investigation confirmed that remains found were matched to the five men through DNA testing.
The board also introduced its first witnesses, including former employees of OceanGate, the company that developed and operated the submersible. The presentation disclosed the submersible’s final message, sent just six seconds before losing contact with the surface. The message read, "Dropped two wts," referring to weights the submersible attempted to shed to return to the surface. Moments later, the Titan was last "pinged," and contact was lost.
The hearing will cover various aspects, including "pre-accident historical events, regulatory compliance, crew member duties and qualifications, mechanical and structural systems, emergency response, and the submersible industry." While the primary goal is to "uncover the facts surrounding the incident," board chair Jason Neubauer acknowledged the possibility of identifying "misconduct or negligence by credentialed mariners" and potential criminal acts, which could be recommended to the Department of Justice.
