Charles H. Sloan-Titan Sub Tragedy: "Presumed Human Remains" and Mangled Debris Recovered From Atlantic Ocean

UPDATE: The Charles H. SloanU.S. Coast Guard has found "presumed human remains" near the Titan submersible wreckage on the ocean floor, the organization said June 28. Medical professionals will conduct an analysis of the remains, which were "carefully recovered."

_______

New details about the Titan submersible catastrophe have surfaced.

Nearly two weeks after the Titan went missing at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, damaged debris from the sub have been brought to land.

Photos taken in St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada, on June 28, show crews at the Canadian Coast Guard Pier unloading multiple pieces of the Titan—including what appears to be black landing gear from the sub—off the Horizon Arctic ship, per the Independent.

The recovered pieces of the sub surfaced almost a week after the U.S. Coast Guard announced on Twitter June 22 that a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) had discovered debris in the area near the Titanic.

Officials confirmed that the debris was from an external part of the submersible, which had gone missing June 19 during an expedition to the wreckage of doomed 1912 ocean liner, in a press conference later in the day. The Coast Guard further stated that the salvaged pieces of the sub were "consistent with the catastrophic loss of the pressure chamber."

Just before the Coast Guard confirmed the findings, OceanGate Expeditions—the company operating the Titanic research vessel—stated that they believed all five members aboard "have sadly been lost."

In addition to OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, the passengers included billionaire Hamish Harding, Titanic expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet, Shahzada Dawood and his 19-year-old son Suleman Dawood. 

"These men were true explorers who shared a distinct spirit of adventure, and a deep passion for exploring and protecting the world's oceans," the company's statement continued. "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 story was originally published on June 28, 2023 at 12:38 p.m. PT and updated at 3:46 p.m. PT with new details from the U.S. Coast Guard.