Authorities found the submarine’s landing frame and tailgate among the wreckage of “Titan” that had been removed from the bottom of the ocean the day before. The US Coast Guard has announced that an official analysis of the alleged remains will be conducted by US medical professionals. Currently, the agency is in the initial phase of investigating the causes of the tragic event.

Examination of human remains

The Naval Research Board (MBI), led by Captain Jason Neubauer, will oversee the transport of evidence to a US port for further analysis and testing. Captain Neubauer stressed that there is still a lot of work ahead to understand the factors that led to the “Titan”‘s catastrophic death and prevent similar events in the future.

I am grateful for the coordinated international and inter-agency support that has helped to find and preserve this vital evidence at extreme seas and depths.
Captain Neubauer told the BBC.

It will be remembered that all five passengers of the “Titan” submarine died on June 18, after the submarine experienced an internal explosion (explosion aimed at the center of the object) about 90 minutes after diving to examine the remains of the “Titanic”. It had fallen in 1912. The remains of the ship are located in the North Atlantic at a depth of 3,800 meters.

Among the dead:

• Stockton Rush – OceanGate head of diving, 61 years old;
• Hamish Harding – British researcher, 58 years old;
• Shahzada David – British businessman, 48 years old;
• Solomon David – son of a businessman, 19 years old;
• Paul-Henri Nargeole – French diver, 77 years old.

At first, officials expressed skepticism about the possibility of finding the bodies of the dead, as the depth at which submarine remains were discovered is an incredibly harsh environment due to significant pressure and local fauna.

Captain Neubauer previously said investigators would take “every measure” if human remains were found, and that the investigation would likely involve formal hearings with witness statements.

Investigation continues at the crash site

The Coast Guard said five main sections of the submarine are now in a large debris field near the bow of the Titanic. According to the BBC’s science correspondent Jonathan Amos, the wreckage that washed up on Wednesday included at least one titanium end cap, a submarine porthole with a missing window, a titanium ring, a landing gear and a terminal equipment bay.

The mission to lift the sub was led by the Canadian ship Horizon Arctic, which uses a remote-controlled vehicle owned by Pelagic Research Services. Earlier on Wednesday, the company announced that its crew had completed naval operations and returned to their bases.

Criticism of the company organizing the expedition

OceanGate has come under criticism for its safety practices, and former employees have expressed concern about the Titan submarine, which has no certification. The BBC said in emails that Stockton Rush dismissed the security concerns raised by the expert, saying it was fed up with industry players using security arguments to stifle innovation.

Additionally, another former OceanGate employee wrote an inspection report highlighting “a large number of issues that raise serious safety concerns,” including concerns with hull testing.