According to a Coast Guard official, all five passengers aboard the Titanic tourist submarine have tragically died.
Rear Admiral John Mauger stated at a press conference that debris discovered near the Titanic site is believed to be from the submerged Titan vessel, which went missing on Sunday.
The authorities confirmed the origin of the wreckage, including a tail cone, after finding five distinct parts of the submersible.
OceanGate, the company behind the expedition, released a statement expressing their belief that CEO Stockton Rush, Shahzada Dawood, Suleman Dawood, Hamish Harding, and Paul-Henri Nargeolet lost their lives after losing contact with the submarine.
The statement described these individuals as passionate explorers dedicated to the ocean's exploration and preservation.
OceanGate extended their heartfelt condolences to the families affected by this tragic event and mourned the loss of these individuals' vibrant lives.
"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 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 organisations 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."
