In June 2023, five passengers were killed on board the Titan submersible, which was operated by OceanGate Inc. While on an expedition to view the wreckage of the Titanic, the vessel failed to resurface safely. After a four-day search, officials revealed that the sub imploded. More than one year after the catastrophe, the Titan’s last message was revealed.
Learn more about the Titan’s expedition, its final moments and more, below.
What Happened to OceanGate’s Titan?
In June 2023, the Titan descended into the depths of the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada. One hour and 45 minutes into the voyage, the Titan’s mothership, the Polar Prince, lost contact with the vessel. After the Titan didn’t resurface, authorities were alerted, and a search for the passengers began.
Four days into the search, a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) discovered wreckage at the bottom of the ocean that resembled the Titan. The debris was located around 500 meters away from the Titanic.
Officials then informed the public that the pressure hull of the Titan had imploded during the vessel’s descent. According to the U.S. Coast Guard and other officials, all five occupants on board died instantaneously.
The first photo of the OceanGate Titan sub wreckage on the ocean floor has been released. pic.twitter.com/f0Ud2pDPRt
— Pop Base (@PopBase) September 17, 2024
In September 2024, Tym Catterson, a former OceanGate contractor, testified that there were “no red flags” about the submersible the day when it went down.
“Considering who was in the cab with Stockton at that particular time — there are two billionaires in there with him — I would absolutely guarantee that he’s trying to make sure that this just goes as absolutely perfect and spot-on as he can,” Patterson said, per ABC News. “This was all theories that were just flying around between people that were totally without sleep and very anxious. It’s the worst thing that could be happening.”
Who Were the Titan Passengers?
The five Titan passengers were Pakistani-British businessman Shahzada Dawood, his 19-year-old son, Suleman Dawood, British businessman Hamish Harding, former French Navy commander and submersible pilot Paul-Henri Nargeolet and American submersible pilot and engineer Stockton Rush.
The Titan’s Final Message
In September 2024, the Titan’s final message was revealed. Per ABC News, the message was “All good here,” which was received at 2,274 meters. A photo of what was left of OceanGate’s Titan was also unveiled to the public.