Debris from the small Titan submersible was brought back to Newfoundland on Wednesday aboard a Canadian-flagged vessel that had helped search for the submarine that imploded ten days ago on the bottom of the Atlantic North, near the wreck of the Titanic.
The “Horizon Arctic” docked at the port of Saint-Jean with a remote-controlled vehicle on board that had searched the ocean floor about 700 kilometers south of the island of Newfoundland.
The owner of the remotely operated submersible, ‘Pelagic Research Services’, says his team has successfully completed their underwater operations and are now unloading their gear from the ‘Horizon Arctic’.
“They have been working around the clock for 10 days now, through physical and psychological challenges, and they are eager to complete the mission and return to their loved ones,” the company said in an email.
Photos taken on the dock show what appear to be several parts of the submersible being hoisted from the ship, including the nose cone with its distinctive circular porthole.
The Titan imploded on June 18 during its descent to the wreckage of the Titanic, nearly four kilometers below the surface of the sea, killing all five passengers and crew.
The US Coast Guard declared them dead four days later, on June 22, after the remote-controlled submersible spotted the wreckage of the Titan about 500 yards from the bow of the transatlantic liner that sank in 1912.
Stockton Rush, CEO of the company that owns the Titan, OceanGate, piloted the small submersible, which carried four passengers: British billionaire Hamish Harding, French explorer and Titanic expert Paul-Henry Nargeolet, and ship’s man. Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood, who was bringing his 19-year-old son, Suleman.
Liam MacDonald, spokesman for the Transportation Safety Board of Canada, said Wednesday the agency would not comment. The US Coast Guard, which is leading the international investigation, did not immediately say who would examine the debris brought ashore on Wednesday.
Horizon Maritime, owner of the Canadian vessel “Horizon Arctic,” also declined to comment. This company also owns the “Polar Prince”, mothership of the Titan.
The company Pelagic indicated for its part that the members of its team were not able to provide information relating to the current investigation, because of “confidentiality and the duty of non-disclosure”.