Human Remains Possibly Found In Titanic Sub Wreckage

Photo: Paul Daly (AP)

Authorities believe they may have recovered human remains within the wreckage of the Titan submersible that was pulled from the Atlantic and brought to a port in St. John’s, Newfoundland. According to The Washington Post, an American medical team will now analyze the remains while the U.S. Coast Guard begins a high-level investigation into the cause of the deadly implosion.

The Post points out that the vessel’s carbon fiber hull design raised concerns among people who know how to make submersibles that do not implode. It could actually lead to more regulatory oversight of the submersible industry, which probably isn’t a bad thing considering five people were just crushed in a nanosecond.

According to the outlet, a remotely operated underwater vehicle recovered Titan’s debris after it was discovered last week. There’s no word if they got everything, but it seems likely since a spokesperson for the company, Pelagic Research, said their role in the operation was over.

The debris will most likely tell investigators important information such as where the hull failed, how its material was connected, and whether any electronics are recoverable. It’s unlikely that the Titan had a device specifically designed for data recording – like a black box – but there are probably hard drives, sonar footage, and cameras to look through.

“The evidence will provide investors from several international jurisdictions with critical insights into the cause of this tragedy,” Jason Neubauer, Coast Guard Capt. and leader of the investigation told The Post. “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.”

The investigation from the Coast Guard could end up recommending anything from new laws for deep-sea submersibles to criminal charges for law enforcement to pursue, according to the outlet.

As we already know, the Titan was missing for days after it lost communication with the surface on June 18th during an expedition to the Titanic wreckage 2.5 miles down on the ocean floor. Authorities and experts now believe the Titan suffered a catastrophic loss of the pressure chamber, which led to an implosion that killed all five people on board.