By Sky News reporters
All five men onboard the missing Titan sub, including a student from the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, are believed to have died, the company that operates the submersible said in a statement.
“We now believe that our CEO Stockton Rush, Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman Dawood, Hamish Harding, and Paul-Henri Nargeolet, have sadly been lost,” a statement said.
“These men were true explorers who shared a distinct spirit of adventure, and a deep passion for exploring and protecting the world’s oceans.
“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.”
Details of who the five were are:
- Hamish Harding, 58, a British adventurer who has previously been to space and made multiple trips to the South Pole
- British businessman Shahzada Dawood, 48, a member of one of Pakistan’s richest families and a supporter of two charities founded by King Charles
- His son Suleman Dawood, a 19-year-old student, both pictured above.
- Paul-Henry Nargeolet, 77, a former French Navy diver who has reportedly spent more time at the Titanic wreck than any other explorer and was part of the first expedition to visit it in 1987
- Stockton Rush, 61, the chief executive of OceanGate, the firm that operates the Titanic voyages on the lost submersible
Additional debris was found nearby, with Mr Mauger adding: “In consultation with experts from within unified command, the debris is consistent with the catastrophic loss of the pressure chamber.
“On behalf of US Coast Guard and entire unified command, I offer deepest condolences to the families. I can only imagine what this has been like for them, and I hope this discovery provides some solace during this difficult time.”
Sky’s US correspondent, James Matthews, asked the rear admiral whether any trace of the five passengers had been found.
Mr Mauger replied: “This is an incredibly complex operating environment on the seafloor, over two miles beneath the surface.
“The remote operating vehicle has been searching, and it is highly capable, and we’ve been able to classify parts of the pressure chamber for the Titan submersible.”