Human remains could have been retrieved from the submersible that imploded on its expedition to explore the Titanic wreckage, per the U.S. Coast Guard. Debris from the vessel, captured from the ocean’s floor almost 12,000 feet beneath the North Atlantic’s surface, has arrived in St. John’s, Newfoundland.
Examining the wreckage is crucial for investigating the cause of a deadly implosion that took the lives of the individuals on board.
The multi-day search and ultimate debris recovery from the 22-foot sub caught the world’s attention.
A substantial amount of work needs to be done to determine the factors that resulted in the catastrophic loss of the Titan and help ensure a similar tragedy does not recur; the Coast Guard Chief Capt. Jason Neubauer mentioned in a statement that was released late on Wednesday afternoon.
The presumed human remains will be taken to the U.S., wherein medical professionals will conduct a formal analysis, Neubauer informed.
He added that the Coast Guard had convened an examination of the implosion at the highest level possible.
The Marine Board of Investigation will also further assess and test the evidence, including the pieces of debris, at a U.S. port. The board is going to share the outcome at a public hearing. However, the date has not been finalized, the Coast Guard mentioned.
Neubauer said that the evidence would offer “critical insights” into the real cause of the deadly implosion.
Debris, believed to be from the Titan, was discovered at about 12,500 feet underwater, just 1,600 feet away from the wreckage of the Titanic. The Coast Guard is spearheading the investigation into this incident in association with many U.S. and Canadian governmental agencies.
Details of debris recovery have not been disclosed yet, but multiple approaches could have been used, suggested Carl Hartsfield, a consultant of the Coast Guard associated with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, an expert in autonomous underwater vehicles.
In the case of small pieces, those can be collected together and taken in a basket, or some collection device, Hartsfield declared on Monday.
Bigger pieces can be retrieved with a remote-operated vehicle (ROV), such as the one taken to the wreckage site by the Horizon Arctic (a Canadian vessel) to search the ocean floor. For huge pieces, a heavy lift could be used to pull them up with the help of a tow line, he explained.
