OceanGate Titan Submersible Victims Earn Tributes from Their Families
A British billionaire explorer who perished after the “OceanGate” Titan submarine experienced a catastrophic implosion has been remembered by his family as a “dedicated father.”
Following the announcement of his passing on Thursday, Hamish Harding was referred to as “a guide, an inspiration, a support, and a living legend”.
During a news briefing in Boston, the U.S. Coast Guard verified that the deep-sea vessel’s tail cone was found around 500 meters from the Titanic wreckage’s bow.
Additional debris was discovered in the North Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Newfoundland, according to Rear Admiral John Mauger, which was “consistent with a catastrophic loss of the pressure chamber.”
According to OceanGate Expeditions, its pilot and CEO Stockton Rush, as well as Harding and fellow British citizens Shahzada Dawood and Paul-Henri Nargeolet, as well as Suleman Dawood, 19, and Shahzada’s father, Shahzada Dawood, “have sadly been lost.”
Mr. Harding’s family issued a brief statement in which they stated, “He was one of a kind and we treasured him. Whatever the environment, he was a passionate explorer who lived for his family, his business, and the upcoming adventure. His lifetime accomplishments were genuinely exceptional, and if there is any tiny solace to be found in this tragedy, it is that he died doing what he loved.
A “gap in our lives that can never be filled,” according to Mr. Harding’s family, and they declared themselves to be “united in grief” with the relatives of the other victims.
“We know that Hamish would have been immensely proud to see how nations, experts, industry colleagues and friends came together for the search and we extend our heartfelt thanks for all their efforts,” they stated.
Following the passing of Mr. Dawood and his son, his company paid respect to them.
The Pakistani conglomerate for which Mr. Dawood served as vice chairman, Engro Corporation, released the following statement: “With heavy hearts and tremendous sadness, we grieve the loss of our vice chairman, Shahzada Dawood, and his beloved son, Suleman Dawood. The Dawood family is in our hearts and prayers during this terrible time. We offer our sincere condolences to the victim’s family, friends, coworkers, and everyone else who is mourning this unfathomable loss worldwide.
According to Rear Admiral Mauger, there doesn’t seem to be any relationship between the location of the wreckage on the seafloor and the underwater noises picked up during the search and rescue mission.
“This was a catastrophic implosion of the vessel,” he added. “The sonar buoys would have picked up a significant broadband sound down there.”
According to underwater specialist Paul Hankin, the Titan submersible’s nose cone and the pressure hull’s front end bell were among five significant pieces of debris that helped to identify it as such.
Court records state that a former OceanGate employee had previously voiced safety concerns regarding the Titan submersible.
According to court documents, David Lochridge, a former director of marine operations at OceanGate, said he was wrongfully fired after raising concerns about the business’ alleged “refusal to conduct critical, non-destructive testing of the experimental design.”
According to court documents, Mr. Lochridge “identified numerous issues that posed serious safety concerns,” but before being fired, he was reportedly “met with hostility and denial of access” to crucial records.
James Cleverly, the foreign secretary, called the development “tragic news” and stated that the British families impacted were receiving strong support from the UK government.
The White House stated that the bereaved families had “been through a harrowing ordeal over the past few days, and we are keeping them in our thoughts and prayers.”
