Wreckage of Titan Submersible Revealed at Hearing on Tragic Implosion. Check Pic

The first image of the Titan submersible resting on the ocean floor after its catastrophic collapse last year was released by the U.S. Coast Guard on Monday, coinciding with the start of an investigative hearing.All five passengers aboard the vessel died in June, prompting a desperate search operation.The newly released photo shows the submersible’s shattered tail cone lying on the murky floor of the North Atlantic. The tail cone had broken away from the rest of the sub, its edges ragged. Nearby, a torn piece of the vessel is also visible.Investigators revealed that the wreckage was discovered several hundred yards from the Titanic’s location after days of searching. The hearing, taking place in North Charleston, South Carolina, will continue until September 27.During the opening presentation, the Marine Board of Investigation explained that the tail cone and other debris were found by a remotely operated vehicle on June 22 last year. This evidence confirmed the submersible had undergone a catastrophic implosion, a sudden inward collapse caused by extreme pressure.The victims of the tragedy were Stockton Rush, founder and CEO of the vessel’s operator; businessman Shahzada Dawood and his 19-year-old son, Suleman Dawood; explorer Hamish Harding; and French diver Paul-Henri Nargeolet.The Marine Board of Investigation confirmed remains found were matched to the five men on board through DNA testing and analysis.According to reports, the board on Monday called its first witnesses, including former employees of OceanGate, the firm that developed and operated the submersible. The presentation also revealed the submersible’s final message – just six seconds before it lost contact with the surface.“Dropped two wts,” the Titan’s text to its mother ship read, referring to weights the submersible could shed in hopes of returning to the surface. Seconds later, the Titan was “pinged” for the last time, and the mother ship lost track of the vessel.An international search and rescue mission unfolded in the following days, in remote waters several hundred miles southeast of Newfoundland, Canada.The hearing will include “pre-accident historical events, regulatory compliance, crew member duties and qualifications, mechanical and structural systems, emergency response and the submersible industry,” the Coast Guard has previously said.While the hearing’s main aim is to “uncover the facts surrounding the incident,” board chair Jason Neubauer acknowledged Monday that the group is also tasked with identifying “misconduct or negligence by credential mariners.”(Inputs from agenices)

Advertisement

Wreckage of Titan Submersible Revealed at Hearing on Tragic Implosion. Check Pic

All five passengers aboard the vessel died in June, prompting a desperate search operation.

Advertisement