Titanic sub update: ‘Human remains’ found as first photos show mangled Titan wreckage recovered from sea floor

“Presumed human remains” have been discovered near the wreck of the Titan submarine, the US Coast Guard announced on Wednesday.

The remains will be brought back to the US and analyzed, part of the wider international investigation into what went wrong during the catastrophic voyage to the Titanic shipwreck earlier this month.

The announcement comes as the first photos have emerged of the mangled submersible wreckage being recovered from the depths of the Atlantic Ocean.

The dramatic images capture crews unloading pieces of the doomed sub off the Horizon Arctic ship onto dry land at the Canadian Coast Guard pier in St John’s, Newfoundland, on Wednesday – more than one week after it imploded around 13,000 feet underwater close to the wreckage of the Titanic, killing all five men on board.

Key points

• First photos of Titan wreckage released

• US Coast Guard recovers ‘presumed human remains’ from sea floor near Titanic sub debris

• Hamish Harding’s friend reveals race to get ROV to site of doomed sub

• Mother of teenager killed in Titanic sub implosion gave up spot for ‘excited’ son

• Family of billionaire and son lost were aboard support ship, mother reveals

• US Coast Guard to lead investigation of sub disaster

Wreckage of doomed sub may reveal cracks signifying cause of implosion, expert says

11:34 , Andy Gregory

Investigators examining the recovered wreckage of the doomed Titan submarine will likely look for cracks which could signify what caused it to implode, a professor in mechanical and marine engineering has suggested.

Dr Jasper Graham-Jones, of the University of Plymouth, told The Sun that an electrical disaster may have occurred after parts of the vessel began to leak.

“This could have been an electrical catastrophe. It could have been corrosion, it could have been a fire. Any leakage of water coming through to the electrics could lead to failure as well,” he told the paper.

He added: “Some of the pipes and parts that lead outside could have begun to leak. If you have a wire going outside, then those wires going through land could actually start to leak. They could have corroded.”

While the passengers may have been aware of a very minor leak, the noise reportedly picked up by US military equipment indicates a more sudden implosion, he said.

“The crack could be brittle, or ductile, and related to fatigue and de-lamination. By scanning under an electron microscope, you can see the fatigue and confirm the speed and direction of the cracks,” he told the paper.

Widow who lost husband and son to Titanic sub implosion pays tribute to 'best friends' at memorial

11:00 , Andrea Blanco

The widow of a Pakistani tycoon who lost both her husband and son after their submersible imploded in the depths of the Atlantic Ocean has opened up about her grief.

The Independent reports:

Widow who lost husband and son to Titanic tragedy pays tribute to ‘best friends’

Nine looming questions in Titanic sub catastrophe

10:00 , Andrea Blanco

Desperate search for the missing Titanic submersible came to a tragic end when debris was discovered deep in the ocean. But, we still don’t know many crucial aspects of the doomed voyage.

The Independent’s Rachel Sharp, Io Dodds and Bevan Hurley report:

These nine questions remain unanswered in the Titanic sub catastrophe

Son turned down father’s offer for ‘bucket list’ trip on doomed Titanic sub over safety fears

09:00 , Andrea Blanco

A 20-year-old man who had a lucky escape from the doomed Titanic sub disaster has revealed how he turned down his father’s offer of a “bucket list” trip because he feared the vessel wasn’t safe.

The Independent’s Rachel Sharp reports:

Son explains why he turned down dad’s offer of trip on doomed Titanic sub

WTCH: US Coast Guard convenes Marine Board of Investigation into loss of Titan Submersible

08:00 , Andrea Blanco

OceanGate sub pilot job opening sparks backlash on TikTok

07:00 , Andrea Blanco

A job advert posted by the company that operated the doomed Titanic submersible that imploded last week in the Atlantic Ocean has sparked backlash on social media.

TikTok users have hit out at the since-deleted job posting by embattled OceanGate Expeditions, following the tragedy that killed all five of its passengers. According to the advertising featured on the company’s website and on Indeed, OceanGate was accepting applicants for a sub pilot position.

The company noted that it had an “urgent opening” and was looking for committed individuals with a “combination of strong mechanical and interpersonal skills,” and experience working with submersibles and boats as well as operating complex systems to support dive operations, Insider reported. Among other requirements, applicants were asked to be comfortable in a confined space and be able to fit through a 28-inch diameter ring.

OceanGate not only hosted tours to the wreck of the Titanic, but also to the Azores Archipelago in Portugal and to the Bahamas. One pilot, one “content expert” and three mission specialists — or fee-paying passengers without any previous experience needed — participated in every dive, according to the company’s website.

The post was removed sometime on 23 June, a day after the US Coast Guard confirmed that the vessel’s chambers were found 1,600ft from the wreck of the Titanic on the ocean floor, but not without being noticed by furious sleuths that criticised the timing.

WATCH: Titanic submarine: What happened?

06:00 , Andrea Blanco

What was the banging noise picked up in search for Titanic sub?

05:00 , Andrea Blanco

An implosion that killed five crew onboard the Titan submersible is now the focus of investigations by agencies from four countries.

The sub was destroyed less than two hours into a dive to the Titanic shipwreck on 18 June, claiming the lives of OceanGate Expeditions CEO Stockton Rush, father and son Shahzada and Suleman Dawood, Hamish Harding, and Paul-Henri Nargeolet.

The Independent Bevan Hurley reports:

What was the banging noise picked up in search for Titanic sub?

Pakistani businessman and so who perished in Titan’s implosion were ‘adventure partners’

04:00 , Andrea Blanco

Speaking at a televised memorial on Tuesday, Christine Dawood, whose husband Shahzada Dawood and 19-year-old son Suleman Dawood were among the victims, said the expedition to the Titanic meant the world for father and son, who she described as true explorers who bonded over their love for adventure.

“These two best friends embarked upon this last voyage, their final journey together,” Ms Dawood told Sky News through tears. “These past few days have been incredibly challenging as a family ... Emotions from excitement to shock to hope and finally despair and grief.”

Sitting next to her father-in-law Hussain Dawood and her husband’s close friend Inam ur Rahman, Ms Dawood shared a heartwarming story about the day her son was born. The grieving widow recounted her husband’s excitement as he held in his arms who would become his best friend for life.

“...for the first time, I just knew these two belonged together. His expression was like finding a long-lost companion for adventures to come,” Ms Dawood said.

WATCH: Teenage Titanic submersible victim's mother shares last words she shared with son

03:00 , Andrea Blanco

Physicist calls for ‘pause’ on all tourist trips to Titanic wreckage

02:00 , Andrea Blanco

A physicist has called for an end to all the tourist voyages to the Titanic wreckage after four days of frantic search for the Titan submersible ended and experts said all five people on board died in an implosion.

Michael Guillen, a former Harvard University physics instructor who himself had a near-death experience near the Titanic wreckage, said the ocean is a “merciless beast” and the Titanic’s wreckage is a “sacred ground” where all activities should cease.

“Certainly, we need to stop, pause all trips to the Titanic, I believe, and figure out, you know, what kind of restrictions should we place,” he said in an interview with GB News.

Read more:

Physicist calls for ‘pause’ on all tourist trips to Titanic wreckage

Why did the Titanic sub implode?

01:00 , Andrea Blanco

In the days after OceanGate chief executive Stockton Rush and his four-paying crew members went missing on their dive to the wreck of the Titanic, experts had several theories as to their fate.

But what exactly caused the Titan to implode? While we don’t yet know the truth of what happened, we do know enough to have some idea of what might have sealed the sub’s fate.

The Independent’s Io Dodds:

Why did the Titanic sub implode?

‘Catastrophic implosion’ and five people dead: What we know about doomed Titanic sub

Thursday 29 June 2023 00:00 , Andrea Blanco

It was to be a once-in-a-lifetime trip, travelling to the ocean floor with a chance to view what few people have – the 111-year-old wreck of the Titanic.

By all accounts the British billionaire explorer, Pakistani-British father and son, French diver and OceanGate Expedition’s chief executive boarded the submersible, named the Titan, with a sense of adventure and excitement.

But in a chilling echo of the doomed vessel, the expedition quickly took a tragic turn.

The Independent’s Ariana Baio, Rachel Sharp and Jane Dalton report:

‘Catastrophic implosion’ and five dead: What we know about doomed Titanic sub

US Coast Guard recovers ‘presumed human remains’ from sea floor near Titanic sub debris

Wednesday 28 June 2023 23:45 , Josh Marcus

The US Coast Guard has recovered “presumed human remains” from the sea floor near the debris of the doomed Titanic sub and will now carry out a formal analysis of it.

The announcement was made hours after large pieces of the submersible Titan, which was destroyed in a “catastrophic implosion” near the wreck of the famed liner, were lowered onto a Canadian pier after being salvaged from the depths of the Atlantic.

Graeme Massie is following all the latest details of the investigation for The Independent.

US Coast Guard recovers ‘presumed human remains’ from near Titanic sub debris

‘Presumed human remains’ found amid submarine debris, Coast Guard announces

Wednesday 28 June 2023 23:43 , Josh Marcus

According to the US Coast Guard, “presumed human remains” have been found amid the wreckage of the TITAN submarine, which imploded earlier this month on a voyage to the Titanic ship wreck, killing five people.The remains will be transported to a port in the US for futher analysis, the military branch said in a press release on Wednesday. “The evidence will provide investigators from several international jurisdictions with critical insights into the cause of this tragedy,” Marine Board of Investigation chair Captain Jason Neubauer said in the statement. “There is still a substantial amount of work to be done to understand the factors that led to the catastrophic loss of the TITAN and help ensure a similar tragedy does not occur again.”

Teen who died on Titanic sub brought Rubik’s cube with him to break world record

Wednesday 28 June 2023 22:50 , Andrea Blanco

The teenager who died on the Titan submersible took a Rubik’s cube with him because he wanted to break a world record, his mother has said.

Christine Dawood told the BBC her son Suleman, 19, was “so excited” to try and solve the puzzle 3,700 metres below the ocean surface.

The Independent’s Gwyn Wright reports:

Teen who died on Titanic sub brought Rubik’s cube with him to break world record

Inside the dangerous world of explorer tourism for the thrill-seeking super rich

Wednesday 28 June 2023 22:20 , Andrea Blanco

The trend of the world’s wealthiest paying above the odds for high-risk adventures is nothing new.

Gabriella Le Breton investigates the elite’s age-old obsession with discovering the furthest – and most dangerous – corners of the globe.

Inside the dangerous world of explorer tourism for the super-rich

Voice recordings under scrutiny in Titanic sub implosion investigation

Wednesday 28 June 2023 21:50 , Andrea Blanco

Voice recordings and other data will be reviewed as part of a US Coast Guard-appointed expert board’s probe into the catastrophic implosion of the Titan submersible last week.

American and Canadian marine authorities have announced investigations into the circumstances that led to the vessel’s malfunction after its chambers were found in a sea of debris 1,600ft from the wreck of the Titanic.

US Coast Guard Captain Jason Neubauer, who is chairing the investigation, said during a press conference on Sunday that he has summoned a Marine Board of Investigation, the highest level of investigation conducted by the Coast Guard. The board’s role is to determine the cause of the tragedy in order to pursue civil or criminal sanctions as necessary.

Voice recordings between the Titan and its mothership Polar Prince will be reviewed by investigators. The mothership’s crew is also being interviewed by different agencies.

Investigators with the Coast Guard have mapped the accident site and salvage operations are expected to continue, Cpt Jason Neubauer said. Once the investigation is wrapped — a timeline has not been laid out — a report with evidence, conclusions and recommendations will be released.

VIDEO: Stockton Rush appears to boast about 'bending rules' to construct Titanic tourist sub

Wednesday 28 June 2023 21:20 , Andrea Blanco

Florida couple drop lawsuit against OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush

Wednesday 28 June 2023 20:50 , Andrea Blanco

A Florida couple who sued Stockton Rush for refusing to refund their $210,000 deposit for a Titanic shipwreck tour have dropped the lawsuit after the OceanGate Expeditions CEO was among five to die in a “catastrophic implosion” last week.

Marc and Sharon Hagle filed a lawsuit in February claiming Rush had repeatedly cancelled a deep-sea dive they had booked on the Titan submersible in 2018.

After Rush was confirmed to have died on the Titan during an ill-fated trip to the famed North Atlantic shipwreck on Sunday 18 June, the couple said the “honour, respect and dignity” of the victims were more important than their claim.

“Like most around the world, we have watched the coverage of the OceanGate Titan capsule with great concern and enormous amount of sadness and compassion for the families of those who lost their lives,” the Hagles said in a statement to Fox 35.

“In light of these tragic events, we have informed our attorneys to withdraw all legal actions against Stockton,” the statement read.

“We honour their zest for life, as well as their commitment to the exploration of our oceans.”

Marc and Sharon Hagle’s dispute with OceanGate began in 2016 when they signed a contract and paid deposits in the hopes of becoming among the first of the deep-sea exploration company’s paying customers.

In mid-2017, the Hagles became suspicious that the submersible vessel, then known as the Cyclops 2, was not going to be ready by the planned departure date, according to the lawsuit filed in Orange County.

The court filing states that the Hagles wanted to pull out of the expedition, and requested a refund of their $20,000 deposits.

They claim that Mr Rush visited them at their Florida home in September 2017 to convince them the trip would be going ahead as planned.

Mr Rush described “what could be expected during the adventure”, they claimed.

In January 2018, the couple alleged they were forced to pay the full deposit of $210,258 to secure two berths on the Titan.

An 1851 maritime law protected the Titanic’s owners in court. Could OceanGate use it too?

Wednesday 28 June 2023 20:20 , Andrea Blanco

The owners of Titanic sought to limit liability following the ship’s sinking by petitioning under 1851 legislation.

The owners of the submersible lost on its dive to visit that famed ship’s wreckage may do the same thing, legal experts tell The Independent’s Sheila Flynn:

An 1851 maritime law protected Titanic owners in court. Could OceanGate use it too?

Hamish Harding’s family friend reveals desperate race to get remote vehicle to site of doomed Titan

Wednesday 28 June 2023 19:50 , Andrea Blanco

A family friend of a British billionaire who perished in the tragic implosion of the Titan last week has shared her desperate efforts to help in the failed rescue of the submersible’s crew.

Tracy Ryan, a close friend of Harding’s wife Linda, has now revealed that she was “working behind the scenes” trying to get a remote-operated submarine capable of reaching the Titanic wreck to join the search for the doomed Titan.

The Independent reports:

Friend of British billionaire reveals desperate efforts to assist rescue

Banging noises don’t appear to be connected to location of Titan debris’

Wednesday 28 June 2023 19:30 , Andrea Blanco

The noises, described as “banging”, were heard on Tuesday and Wednesday during the search for Titan, which went missing on Sunday during a voyage to the Titanic shipwreck off the coast of Canada.

But on Thursday during a press conference in Boston, the US Coast Guard said debris was found which was “consistent with a catastrophic loss of the pressure chamber”.

Rear Admiral John Mauger said there did not appear to be any connection between the underwater noises detected during the search and rescue mission and the location of the debris on the seafloor.

He said: “So throughout the search efforts, we reacted to the information that we had available to us and while we continue to send it off for deeper analysis, again really complex operating environment for us to work in, let me check with the experts, but there doesn’t appear to be any connection between the noises and the location on the seafloor.

“This was a catastrophic implosion of the vessel, which would have generated a significant broadband sound down there that the sonar buoys would have picked up.”

PICTURED: Salvaged pieces of the Titan sub brought ashore following tragic implosion

Wednesday 28 June 2023 19:18 , Andrea Blanco

Why did the Titanic sub implode?

Wednesday 28 June 2023 18:50 , Andrea Blanco

In the week after OceanGate chief executive Stockton Rush and his four-paying crew members went missing on their dive to the wreck of the Titanic, experts had several theories as to their fate.

But what exactly caused the Titan to implode? While we don’t yet know the truth of what happened, we do know enough to have some idea of what might have sealed the sub’s fate.

The Independent’s Io Dodd:

Why did the Titanic sub implode?

WATCH: James Cameron likens Titan submersible tragedy to Titanic

Wednesday 28 June 2023 18:20 , Andrea Blanco

US Coast declines to comment on debris unloaded at St John’s port

Wednesday 28 June 2023 17:43 , Andrea Blanco

Debris from the lost submersible Titan has been returned to land after a fatal implosion during its voyage to the wreck of the Titanic captured the world’s attention last week.

The return of the debris to port in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, is a key piece of the investigation into why the submersible imploded, killing all five on board. Twisted chunks of the 22-foot submersible came ashore at a Canadian Coast Guard pier on Wednesday.

Horizon Arctic, a Canadian ship, carried a remotely operated vehicle, or ROV, to search the ocean floor near the Titanic wreck for pieces of the submersible. Pelagic Research Services, a company with offices in Massachusetts and New York that owns the ROV, said in a statement on Wednesday that it has completed offshore operations.

Pelagic Research Services said its team is “still on mission” and cannot comment on the ongoing Titan investigation, which involves several government agencies in the U.S. and Canada.

“They have been working around the clock now for ten days, through the physical and mental challenges of this operation, and are anxious to finish the mission and return to their loved ones,” the company’s statement said.

Debris from the Titan was located about 12,500 feet (3,810 meters) underwater and roughly 1,600 feet (488 meters) from the Titanic on the ocean floor, the Coast Guard said last week. The Coast Guard is leading the investigation into why the submersible imploded during its June 18 descent. Officials announced on June 22 that the submersible had imploded and all five on board were dead.

Friend of British billionaire reveals desperate race to get ROV to site of doomed Titanic sub

Wednesday 28 June 2023 17:09 , Andrea Blanco

A friend of Hamish Harding’s wife described “working behind the scenes” to try and involve a remote-operated submarine capable of reaching the Titanic wreck to join the search for the doomed Titan submersible.

“When I heard it was Hamish my heart dropped to my stomach,” Tracy Ryan told People, adding: “I had been working behind the scenes for four days to get the Magellan sub there and get their permits approved because they did have the capabilities to dive all the way down to the site.”

Why we are obsessed with the missing Titan submarine?

Wednesday 28 June 2023 16:51 , Andrea Blanco

“We all can relate to that feeling of being trapped somewhere or being in the water or experiencing that level of uncertainty,” Dr Justin D’Arienzo – a clinical psychologist in Jacksonville, Florida and former US Navy psychologist told The Independent.

“What makes it so relatable is that we all could imagine being helpless with other humans and not know what to do.”

The search for the submersible captured the attention of millions, as phrases such as “Titan” and hashtags like #OceanGate dominated Twitter’s top trending and TikTok For You Pages.

“People paying $250,000 to go into a tube that’s going to go underwater, there is some obsession with rich and famous people. We’re sensitized to voyeurism in that regard,” says D’Arienzo. “We quickly follow people who we see are powerful; we give them more leeway. There’s a reason that we follow the lifestyles of the rich and famous.”

Victims likely died instantly in ‘catastrophic implosion,’ Navy doctor reveals

Wednesday 28 June 2023 16:28 , Andrea Blanco

A former Navy doctor has revealed what would have happened to the five people on board the missing Titan submersible in its final moments even as officials announced the vessel imploded.

Dale Molé, a former director of the US Navy for undersea medicine and radiation health, said they would have died instantly and painlessly by the force under the depth of the sea.

“It would have been so sudden, that they wouldn’t even have known that there was a problem, or what happened to them,” he told the Daily Mail.

“It’s like being here one minute, and then the switch is turned off. You’re alive one millisecond, and the next millisecond you’re dead,” he said.

Authorities confirmed on Thursday, that everyone onboard the Titan is presumed dead after the vessel Titanic imploded.

FULL STORY: Imploded Titanic submarine seen for first time as pieces recovered up from sea floor

Wednesday 28 June 2023 16:20 , Rachel Sharp

Debris from the Titan was brought ashore by deep-sea robots on Wednesday as the US Coast Guard continues its recovery operation following its catastrophic implosion last week.

The Titan’s wreckage was seen for the first time in pictures after the Coast Guard announced on Thursday (23 June) that ROVs (remotely-operated vehicles) found its chambers in a sea of debris 1,600ft from the Titanic.

Read the full story:

Imploded Titanic submarine seen for first time as pieces recovered up from sea floor

Debris from Titan taken to Newfoundland

Wednesday 28 June 2023 16:03 , Rachel Sharp

Debris from the Titan has been transported to Newfoundland after being recovered from the depths of the ocean.

Photos captured several pieces of what remains of the doomed submersible being unloaded from the Horizon Arctic ship onto dry land at the Canadian Coast Guard pier in St John’s.

The images are the first captured of the Titan since it began its journey into the depths of the Atlantic Ocean carrying five excited passengers before imploding less than two hours later.

PICTURED: First photos of Titan wreckage pulled from Atlantic Ocean

Wednesday 28 June 2023 15:51 , Rachel Sharp

Wife and mother of Titan victims shares heartbreak

Wednesday 28 June 2023 15:30 , Andrea Blanco

More than a week after all five passengers on an expedition aboard the Titan sub were killed, their families continue to reel from the tragedy as international marine authorities have launched multi-agency probes to determine what caused the catastrophic implosion.

Speaking at a televised memorial on Tuesday, Christine Dawood, whose husband Shahzada Dawood and 19-year-old son Suleman Dawood were among the victims, said the expedition to the Titanic meant the world for father and son, who she described as true explorers who bonded over their love for adventure.

“These two best friends embarked upon this last voyage, their final journey together,” Ms Dawood told Sky News through tears. “These past few days have been incredibly challenging as a family ... Emotions from excitement to shock to hope and finally despair and grief.”

WATCH: US Coast Guard convenes Marine Board of Investigation into loss of Titan Submersible

Wednesday 28 June 2023 15:00 , Andrea Blanco

Experts says he expects Titanic expeditions to be grounded 'for the remaining of his life time’

Wednesday 28 June 2023 14:30 , Andrea Blanco

All planned expeditions to the Titanic wreck have been called off following the Titan submersible tragedy that killed five people, industry groups told New York Post.

The Explorers Club said it knows of no plans still in place for scientific exploratory trips to the Titanic’s wreck 12,500 feet below the ocean’s surface. Commercial expeditions have also been reportedly grounded.

David Scott-Beddard, chief executive of White Star Memories Ltd, a UK Titanic artifact company, said he does not anticipate future expeditions to the famed wreck “in my lifetime,” either.

Navy doctor reveals Titanic sub victims would have died instantly in ‘catastrophic implosion’

Wednesday 28 June 2023 14:00 , Ariana Baio

A former Navy doctor has revealed what would have happened to the five people on board the missing Titan submersible in its final moments even as officials announced the vessel imploded.

Dale Molé, a former director of the US Navy for undersea medicine and radiation health, said they would have died instantly and painlessly by the force under the depth of the sea.

“It would have been so sudden, that they wouldn’t even have known that there was a problem, or what happened to them,” he told the Daily Mail.

“It’s like being here one minute, and then the switch is turned off. You’re alive one millisecond, and the next millisecond you’re dead,” he said.

Authorities confirmed on Thursday, that everyone onboard the Titan is presumed dead after the vessel Titanic imploded.

Watch: Titan submersible's thrusters put on 'backwards' during terrifying 2022 trip

Wednesday 28 June 2023 13:00 , Ariana Baio

US Navy: Hefty salvage system not required in probe of fatal Titan implosion

Wednesday 28 June 2023 12:00 , Ariana Baio

The U.S. Navy said Sunday that it won’t be using a large piece of salvage equipment that it had deployed to the effort to retrieve the Titan submersible.

The Flyaway Deep Ocean Salvage System had the capability of lifting an intact Titan back to the surface. The U.S. Coast Guard announced on Thursday that debris from the submersible had been found roughly 1,600 feet (488 meters) from the Titanic in North Atlantic waters.

“Efforts are focused on helping map the debris field in preparation for recovery efforts and to support investigative actions. Efforts to mobilize equipment such as the Flyaway Deep Ocean Salvage System have been discontinued,” a Navy official told The Associated Press.

The Navy describes the Flyaway Deep Ocean Salvage System as a “portable, ship lift system designed to provide reliable deep ocean lifting capacity of up to 60,000 pounds for the recovery of large, bulky, and heavy sunken objects such as aircraft or small vessels.”

The Titan weighed 20,000 pounds (9,071 kilograms).

The Navy is continuing to support the U.S. Coast Guard as operations continue.

Friend of Hamish Harding’s wife describes push to involve remote-operated vehicle in search

Wednesday 28 June 2023 11:02 , Andy Gregory

A friend of the late British explorer Hamish Harding’s wife has described her efforts to get a remote-operated submarine from Guernsey involved in the search for the Titan after it disappeared near the wreck of the Titanic.

“When I heard it was Hamish my heart dropped to my stomach,” Tracy Ryan told People, adding: “I had been working behind the scenes for four days to get the Magellan sub there and get their permits approved because they did have the capabilities to dive all the way down to the site.

“And I actually brought a United States Congressman in to work with the Air Force, Navy and Coast Guard trying to get them clearance.”

She added: “For two days he was on the phone with these guys trying to get the Magellan deployed ... And I had been, you know, messaging all this back and forth with Linda the whole time.”

"This was really more of an effort for me to try and help the family get answers faster,” Ms Ryan told the outlet. “Because the banging in the water that was happening every 30 minutes was giving them so much hope.”

An 1851 maritime law protected the Titanic’s owners in court. Could OceanGate use it too?

Wednesday 28 June 2023 11:00 , Ariana Baio

The owners of the Titanic sought to limit liability following the ship’s sinking by petitioning under 1851 legislation. The owners of the submersible lost on its dive to visit that famed ship’s wreckage may do the same thing,

Sheila Flynn reports:

An 1851 maritime law protected Titanic owners in court. Could OceanGate use it too?

Watch: Barack Obama slams hypocrisy over interest in Titanic sub compared to migrant boat tragedy

Wednesday 28 June 2023 10:00 , Ariana Baio

James Cameron knew about the Titanic sub implosion days before it was found. This is why

Wednesday 28 June 2023 09:00 , Ariana Baio

In a series of stunning interviews on Thursday, James Cameron revealed he knew highly sensitive details about the Titan submersible search and rescue mission days before it was released publicly.

The 68-year-old told ABC News that his contacts within “the community” had shared details of the mission with him, a reference to the small and close-knit submersible Manned Underwater Vehicle (MUV) industry.

“Some people think of me as a Hollywood guy… (but) I make Avatar to make money to do explorations,” Cameron told The Daily Telegraph in 2018.

In interviews with CNN and Reuters, Cameron told how he had learned of the implosion soon after it occurred.

“We got confirmation within an hour that there had been a loud bang at the same time that the sub comms were lost. A loud bang on the hydrophone. Loss of transponder. Loss of comms. I knew what happened. The sub imploded,” he told Reuters.

Cameron emailed colleagues in the MUV industry on Monday that the Titan was without a doubt “on the bottom in pieces right now”.

Titan once malfunctioned and couldn’t reach the surface, says ex-passenger

Wednesday 28 June 2023 08:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Bill Price, a former Titan passenger, said that when he went on the submersible two years ago, it lost communication with its mothership an hour into the journey.

Shortly after, the crew figured there was an issue with the mechanism that releases weights off the craft so it can rise back up to the surface. “There was some apprehension of how are we going to get back up,” Mr Price told Los Angeles Times.

OceanGate Expeditions chief executive Stockton Rush and French explorer Paul-Henri Nargeolet, who were on the sub, asked the passengers to rock from side to side to try to dislodge the weights.

“When we heard our first clunk, that was such a relief,” Mr Price added.

Why we are obsessed with the missing Titan submarine, according to experts

Wednesday 28 June 2023 08:00 , Ariana Baio

“We all can relate to that feeling of being trapped somewhere or being in the water or experiencing that level of uncertainty,” Dr Justin D’Arienzo – a clinical psychologist in Jacksonville, Florida and former US Navy psychologist told The Independent.

“What makes it so relatable is that we all could imagine being helpless with other humans and not know what to do.”

The search for the submersible captured the attention of millions, as phrases such as “Titan” and hashtags like #OceanGate dominated Twitter’s top trending and TikTok For You Pages.

“People paying $250,000 to go into a tube that’s going to go underwater, there is some obsession with rich and famous people. We’re sensitized to voyeurism in that regard,” says D’Arienzo. “We quickly follow people who we see are powerful; we give them more leeway. There’s a reason that we follow the lifestyles of the rich and famous.”

All Titanic trips cancelled after sub disaster

Wednesday 28 June 2023 07:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

All planned expeditions to the Titanic wreck have been called off following the Titan submersible tragedy that killed five people, industry groups told New York Post.

The Explorers Club said it knows of no plans still in place for scientific exploratory trips to the Titanic’s wreck 12,500 feet below the ocean’s surface. Commercial expeditions have also been reportedly grounded.

David Scott-Beddard, chief executive of White Star Memories Ltd, a UK Titanic artifact company, said he does not anticipate future expeditions to the famed wreck “in my lifetime,” either.