--- title: "Debris, Apparent Human Remains Recovered From Titan Sub" description: "Officials have pulled the wreck of OceanGate's imploded submersible and possibly the remains of its crew of five passengers from the ocean." date: "2023-06-29" modified: "2023-06-29" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/debris-remains-recovered-titan-sub" categories: - "Robots and Machines" tags: - "oceangate" - "submersible" - "the digest" - "titanic" --- # Debris, Apparent Human Remains Recovered From Titan Sub ![Officials have pulled the wreck of OceanGate's imploded submersible and possibly the remains of its crew of five passengers from the ocean.]() *\Image: Jordan Pettitt/PA Images via Getty Images\* ## Titan in Tatters Officials have pulled what's left of OceanGate's imploded submersible — and possibly the remains of its crew of five passengers — from the Atlantic Ocean in St John's, Newfoundland, the US Coast Guard [announced](). Images and footage from the [Canadian press]() show large pieces of debris being loaded onto a vehicle, including what appear to be fragments of the sub's hull, as well as the dome surrounding the sub's only porthole. The company behind the recovery effort, Pelagic Research Services, [wouldn't confirm to the *New York Times*]() that the debris belonged to the Titan, referring reporters to the US Coast Guard instead. That's likely because investigations are ongoing and officials are still trying to piece together exactly what happened during the tragedy — efforts that could drag on for quite some time. https://twitter.com/nytimes/status/1674193478056591361 ## The Depths According to what we know so far, the sub most likely [imploded catastrophically]() just [hours]() after leaving its support ship Polar Prince, roughly a third of a mile from the wreck of the Titanic. Officials now have a vast jigsaw puzzle to solve as they collect the evidence. Carl Hartsfield, an underwater vehicle designer at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, told the *NYT* that it was "highly unlikely" that the submersible had a central data recorder in case of a disaster. Other data such as sonar recordings, however, could allow investigators to get a more accurate picture of what happened. And we may have to wait for quite some time until we get some answers. Hartsfield told the newspaper that it might take 18 to 24 months to conclude the investigation. The tragic incident has raised plenty of questions surrounding OceanGate CEO Rush Stockton's leadership and his decision to operate the vessel without any certification or third-party review. Was his [well-documented]() [lack of concern for safety]() what ultimately led to the Titan's — and his own — demise? For now, we'll have to wait until we know more. **More on the submersible:** *[OceanGate CEO Bragged About Using Expired Carbon Fiber to Build Doomed Sub]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()