OceanGate’s Titan Submarine, carrying five passengers, suffered a catastrophic implosion of the pressure chamber, causing their death. The debris field found near the Titanic wreckage confirmed that it belonged to the submarine, and the search area covered 7,000 square miles. The passengers included OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, French Navy veteran Paul-Henri Nargeolet, British billionaire Hamish Harding, and two other individuals. The families and companies affected by the tragedy released statements of condolences, offering thoughts and prayers to those who lost their lives.
OceanGate Inc. even released the statement confirming the death of OceanGate’s CEO and other passengers. “We now believe that our CEO Stockton Rush, Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman Dawood, Hamish Harding, and Paul-Henri Nargeolet, 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. Our hearts are
with these five souls and every member of their families during this tragic time. We gieve the loss of
life and joy they brought to everyone they knew.
OceanGate: “We now believe that our CEO Stockton Rush, Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman Dawood, Hamish Harding, and Paul-Henri Nargeolet, have sadly been lost.” @ABC Special Report is moments away. pic.twitter.com/IumSBMpHM2
— Gio Benitez (@GioBenitez) June 22, 2023
This is an extremely sad time for our dedicated employees who are exhausted and grieving deeply
Over this loss. The entire Ocean Gate 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. We appreciate their commitment to finding these five explorers, and their days and nights of tireless work in support of our crew and their families.
This is a very sad time for the entire explorer community, and for each of the family members of those lost at sea. We respectfully ask that the privacy of these families be respected during this most painful time.” Read the statement by OceanGate Inc.
The US Coast Guard and their worldwide collaborators were congratulated by the White House for their efforts in the search and rescue of the submersible that vanished while travelling to the Titanic debris. A White House official remarked, “This has been a testament to the skill and professionalism that the men and women who serve our nation continue to demonstrate every single day.”
