Pieces of Debris have been brought back to shore in Newfoundland, Canada. The debris have been suspected to contain human remains of the 5 people that were onboard the submersible when it imploded.
The US Coast Guard announced on Wednesday that what are believed to be human remains have been found amidst the wreckage of the Titan, a submersible that collapsed during a recent expedition to the Titanic.
On Wednesday morning, fragments of the heavily damaged vessel were transported to Newfoundland, Canada, offering valuable evidence to aid in the investigation of the tragedy.
Officials expect that these pieces will help address inquiries regarding the experimental design, safety protocols, and absence of certification of the craft. The evidence retrieved from the northern Atlantic will be transported by the Coast Guard to a port in the United States. At the port, medical experts will perform a comprehensive examination of the remains.
Jason Neubauer, a chair captain with the Marine Board of Investigation, expressed that the evidence recovered will offer valuable information to investigators from various international jurisdictions, shedding light on the cause of this tragic event.
In his statement the chair captain stressed on the point that a majority of investigation still has to be conducted on the debris to boil down the factors that could have led to this tragic incident.
Approximately a week after authorities revealed the discovery of the submerged vessel, news emerged that the wreckage was found. The craft had gone missing during an expedition to reach the Titanic wreck, descending two miles beneath the surface.
An international search and rescue operation was conducted before the wreckage was located. The US Coast Guard stated that the five crew members aboard the submersible likely met instant fatality due to a “catastrophic implosion.”
Debris Recovered
The debris that was brought ashore comprises of twisted cables along with several mechanical parts of the submersible.
Notably, significant sections of metal resembling portions of the Titan’s white hull and landing skids, which were intended for seabed contact, arrived in St. John’s via the Canadian ship Horizon Arctic.
The US Coast Guard also stated that they suspect human remains are a part of the debris which was recovered. The debris will be inspected by US Medical professionals to confirm or deny these claims.
What was used for the search?
The exploration vessel Horizon Arctic utilized a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to scour the ocean floor in the vicinity of the Titanic wreck, searching for fragments of the submersible.
Pelagic Research Services, a company based in Massachusetts and New York and the owner of the ROV, announced on Wednesday that their offshore operations had been successfully concluded.
Safety Concerns of the Submersible
The retrieval of the wreckage plays a crucial role in the investigation process to determine the cause of the incident. Examining the debris will provide valuable insights into understanding the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Professionals in the industry have harbored concerns about the design of the craft for a considerable time and have also raised inquiries regarding the safety track record of Ocean Gate, the US company responsible for operating the submersible.
Latest Updates
Pelagic Research Services stated that their team is currently engaged in an ongoing mission and is unable to provide comments regarding the Titan investigation, which involves multiple government agencies from the United States and Canada.
The statement mentioned that the team has been tirelessly working for the past ten days, facing both physical and mental hurdles during the operation, and expressing their eagerness to complete the mission and reunite with their families.
A consultant enlisted by the Coast Guard during the search mentioned that examining the physical composition of the recovered debris could provide significant insights into the fate of the Titan.
Additionally, Carl Hartsfield from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution suggested that there might be electronic data available. He explained that deep-sea vehicles typically have instruments that record and transmit data, but he was uncertain about the availability of such data in this specific case.