Titan submersible crew presumed dead, expedition company claims

The company leading the Titan submersible trip says the five missing crew members are believed to be dead news agency AP reportedAccording to an AP report OceanGate Expeditions on Thursday says its pilot and chief executive Stockton Rush along with passengers Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman Dawood Hamish Harding and PaulHenri Nargeolet have sadly been lostOceanGate did not provide details Thursday when the company announced the loss of life in a statement or how officials knew the crew members perished The vessels 96hour oxygen supply likely ended early ThursdayJames Cameron ldquoIrsquom struck by the similarity of the Titanic disaster itself where the captain was repeatedly warned about ice ahead of his ship and yet he steamed at full speed into an ice fieldItrsquos incredibly sad what happened today I see people blaming other people andhellip pictwittercomVeQJKRPILZmdash Brian Krassenstein krassenstein June 23 2023The company has been chronicling the Titanics decay and the underwater ecosystem around it via yearly voyages since 2021According to an ABC news report on the lsquocatastrophic implosionrsquo of Titan submersible lsquoTitanicrsquo director James Cameron said that he is struck by the similarity of the Titanic disaster itself where the captain was repeatedly warned about ice ahead of his ship and yet he steamed at full speed into an ice fieldA rescue operation was underway deep in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean on Monday in search of a submersible vessel that carries people to view the wreckage of the Titanic The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Halifax Nova Scotia said the vessel was reported overdue around 913 pm Sunday about 435 miles 700 kilometres south of St Johns Newfoundland Lt Cmdr Len Hickey said a Canadian Coast Guard vessel and military aircraft were assisting the search effort which was being led by the US Coast Guard in Boston OceanGate Expeditions confirmed the search for its fiveperson submersible and said its focus was on those aboard the vessel and their families We are deeply thankful for the extensive assistance we have received from several government agencies and deep sea companies in our efforts to reestablish contact with the submersible the company said in a statementWe are working toward the safe return of the crewmembers David Concannon an adviser to the company said Oceangate lost contact with the submarine Sunday morning It had a 96hour oxygen supply he said in an email to The Associated Press on Monday afternoon Now 32 hours since sub left surface said Concannon who said he was supposed to be on the dive but could not go due to another client matter He said officials are working to get a remotely operated vehicle that can reach a depth of 6000 metres about 20000 feet to the site as soon as possible Action Aviation confirmed that its company chairman UK businessman Hamish Harding was one of the tourists on board The companys managing director Mark Butler told the AP that the crew set out on FridayWith AP inputsThis is a developing story and will be updated as and when further inputs are received