OceanGate submersible Titan.Photo:EyePress News/Shutterstock
EyePress News/Shutterstock
OceanGate says that it “has suspended all exploration and commercial operations."
The announcement was posted onthe company’s websitein a small banner at the top of the homepage. The company owned theTitansubmersiblethat imploded while traveling down to theTitanicwreckage last month, killing all five people on board.
No additional details were provided.
OceanGate did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Alamy Stock Photo
TheTitansubmersible was about an hour and 45 minutes into its journey to the Titanic when it lost contact with its mothership,Polar Prince, on June 18,officials previously said.
All five people aboard the ill-fated submersible at the time — OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman Dawood, Hamish Harding, and Paul-Henri Nargeolet —are presumed dead.
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OceanGate now says it is suspending exploration and commercial operation. However, its website still hastwo eight-day voyageslisted for June 12, 2024, and June 21, 2024, at a cost of $250,000.
Nargeolet, who was 77 when he died on theTitan, is listed as one of the individuals “who may join” the expeditions.
During a press conference this week, Edward Cassano, CEO of Pelagic Research Services, opened up about the recovery of the submersible, saying that hiscrew was still experiencing “a lot of emotions."
The official went on to ask reporters to “recognize the seriousness of the events and respect the depth and range of emotions, certainly, and most importantly, the family and friends with theTitanand all those in the response.”
The U.S. Coast Guard recently revealed that crews recovered “presumed human remains” while searching through the sub’s wreckage.
The “presumed” remains “were carefully recovered” within the wreckage, officials added.
“The evidence will provide investigators from several international jurisdictions with critical insights into the cause of this tragedy,” MBI Chair Captain Jason Neubauer said, according to a release.
“There is still a substantial amount of work to be done to understand the factors that led to the catastrophic loss of theTitanand help ensure a similar tragedy does not occur again,” he added.
source: people.com
