Titanic Submersible Crew Members Are Believed To Be Dead, Says Operator
NDTV
The Titan, a 6.7-meter-long craft made of carbon fiber and titanium, was designed to carry a pilot and four crew to a maximum depth of 4,000 meters (13,120 feet).
The five crew members on the missing submersible that was headed to the Titanic are presumed to have died, according to OceanGate Inc., operator of the mission.
"These men were true explorers who shared a distinct spirit of adventure, and a deep passion for exploring and protecting the world's oceans," the company said in a statement Thursday. "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."
The saga of the missing craft, known as the Titan, sparked global fascination as an international fleet of ships and aircraft desperately scoured an area of the North Atlantic twice the size of Connecticut. Rescuers raced around the clock as Titan's estimated 96-hour oxygen supply dwindled to zero.
The US Coast Guard earlier in the week said unidentified sounds were detected during the search, but those noises couldn't be linked the missing craft.
