UPDATE: Debris of missing submersible found near Titanic wreck, all passengers presumed dead

A tragic but conclusive update in the case of the missing OceanGate Titan: the debris found this afternoon was found to be consistent with the “catastrophic loss” of the submersible’s pressure chamber.

The five passengers on board the submarine “have sadly been lost,” the Coast Guard said in a press statement, and their families were immediately notified. They gave their “heartfelt condolences” to the families.

The passengers were British businessman Hamish Harding, OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, French explorer Paul-Henry Nargeolet, Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his teenage son Sulaiman.

Earlier today, the Coast Guard confirmed they had found a field of debris on the ocean floor near the wreck of the RMS Titanic, the submersible’s destination.

Rear Adm John Mauger told reporters that a remotely operated vehicle from Horizon Arctic discovered the Titan‘s tail cone, approximately 1,600 feet from the Titanic’s bow.

Shortly before the press conference, OceanGate released a statement that the five passengers have “sadly been lost.”

“These men were true explorers who shared a distinct spirit of adventure, and a deep passion for exploring and protecting the world’s oceans,” their statement reads, according to BBC. “Our hearts are with these five souls and every member of their families during this tragic time. We grieve the loss of life and joy they brought to everyone they knew.”

“This is an extremely sad time for our dedicated employees who are exhausted and grieving deeply over this loss. The entire OceanGate family is deeply grateful for the countless men and women from multiple organizations of the international community who expedited wide-ranging resources and have worked so very hard on this mission.”

The passengers paid $250,000 for what would have been an eight-day expedition to the wreck of the RMS Titanic. Concerns had previously been raised about the safety of the operation.

The submersible was declared missing on Sunday after it stopped making communication and failed to resurface on schedule. The circumstances of its disappearance are still unclear. With only 96 hours of oxygen on board, an urgent search-and-rescue mission was put into action.

This morning would have been when the passengers’ oxygen supply ran out, assuming the submersible was still fully functioning. A crew reportedly heard banging noises every 30 minutes in the area where the submersible vanished, though the Coast Guard said the noises were unrelated to the discovery.

Rest in peace to everyone on board the Titan. Our hearts are with their families and friends — we hope this tragic update at least brings them some closure.

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