Titan Sub Update: Debris Recovered From Ocean, Including Potential Human Remains

Authorities have recovered debris from the lost Titanic submersible and presumed human remains that are believed to belong to the five passengers who lost their lives in the tragic incident.

The discovery comes a week after the end of the international search-and-rescue operation for the submersible, and the five passengers were presumed dead. On Wednesday, crews were unloading what seemed to have been the Titan's 22-foot hull at a Canadian Coast Guard pier located in St. John's, Newfoundland.

Titan Sub Debris Recovered

The hull looked to have been crinkled and twisted and had exposed wires and cables. Images shared by the Canadian Press showed what seemed to be a piece of the hull's siding and other debris being offloaded from the Horizon Arctic. The latter is a vessel that deployed a remotely operated vehicle to scour the ocean floor to look for the submersible.

Later on, the debris of the Titan sub will be transported to a port in the United States, where the Marine Board of Investigation will conduct further analysis and testing. Medical professionals from the U.S. will also formally analyze what authorities presumed were human remains found alongside the debris, as per the New York Times. The Pelagic Research Services, which led the deep sea recovery effort for the Titan sub, said in a statement that it had "successfully completed offshore operations." It added that it was already in the process of demobilization, which marks the end of its mission and signals its return to the base of operations.

The company did not confirm whether or not the debris that was seen being offloaded belonged to the Titan sub, arguing that the investigation is still ongoing. It also referred questions to the U.S. Coast Guard, who did not immediately request comment regarding the finding. However, the Pelagic Research Services did say that a crew has been working tirelessly for the last ten days to find the lost Titan sub. The discovery of the debris is a crucial part of the investigation by the underwater vehicle designer at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, J. Carl Hartsfield said they could contain vital information about what happened to the sub.

Understand What Happened to the Submersible

The discovery could also lead authorities to find the exact fates of the five people on board the titan sub who were lost under the ocean on June 18. According to BBC, the submersible is believed to have imploded after roughly 90 minutes from the beginning of its dive to take a look at the famous 1912 Titanic shipwreck. In a statement, the chief investigator of the case, Coast Guard Capt. Jason Neubauer said that the newly found evidence could provide investigators with crucial insights into the cause of the tragic incident. Neubauer added that substantial work still needs to be done to understand the factors and conditions that led to the disastrous loss of the Titan sub. He noted that understanding such circumstances will help prevent a similar tragedy from happening in the future, said CBS News.

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Titanic, Titan, Debris, Human remains