Ocean Gate suspends operations

WASHINGTON: Ocean Gate, the company responsible for the Titan submarine that imploded while diving to the Titanic wreck resulting in the loss of five lives, announced an indefinite suspension of its operation on Thursday.

The Titan submarine went missing on June 18, and on June 22 the United States (US) Coast Guard confirmed that the vessel had experienced a devastating implosion marking the end of a rescue mission that had garnered global attention.

The US-based company made the announcement on its website two weeks after the tragic incident that claimed the lives of the company’s CEO, Stockton Rush, British explorer Hamish Harding, French submarine expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet, Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman.

Investigations by the US Coast Guard and Canadian authorities are underway to determine the cause of the tragedy involving the Titan. The incident occurred when communication was lost approximately one hour and 45 minutes after the submarine descended into the ocean.