The US Coast Guard has reported the discovery of a “debris field” near the Titanic during the search for a missing submarine. The deep-sea remotely operated vehicle (ROV) found the debris field while attempting to locate the OceanGate crew, who disappeared while trying to dive to the Titanic wreckage.
The Coast Guard announced on Twitter that experts are currently evaluating the information. Further details are yet to be disclosed, but an update from authorities is expected soon.
The OceanGate Titan submersible, carrying five ocean explorers, including OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, British adventurer Hamish Harding, Shahzada and Suleman Dawood from a wealthy Pakistani family, and Titanic expert Paul-Henry Nargeolet, lost contact with its surface vessel, the Polar Prince, approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes into the dive on Sunday.
The incident occurred around 900 miles east of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and 400 miles southeast of St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada.
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The unified command, led by the US Coast Guard, involved collaboration with commercial assets, research vehicles, and military counterparts from Canada, France, and the United Kingdom. Search-and-rescue teams utilized advanced buoys, robotic vehicles (ROVs), surface vessels, and aerial searches throughout the week in an effort to locate the missing submarine.
During the search, Canadian pilots detected repetitive sounds on Tuesday and Wednesday, which were described as “banging.” The source of these noises remained unidentified as of Wednesday, and authorities have not provided further details.
The search operation also involved the use of the Victor 6000, an unmanned French robot capable of diving up to 6,000 meters, equipped with remotely controlled arms to assist in releasing a trapped vessel, although it lacks the ability to lift the submersible independently.
A debris field was discovered within the search area by an ROV near the Titanic. Experts within the unified command are evaluating the information. 1/2
— USCGNortheast (@USCGNortheast) June 22, 2023
