World Desk : dhakamirror.com
OceanGate, the owner of the ill-fated Titan submersible that imploded during its voyage to the Titanic, resulting in the loss of all five crew members, has announced the suspension of its exploration and commercial operations. The company’s CEO, Stockton Rush, was among those who tragically perished in the disaster last month.
According to the company’s official website, OceanGate has put a halt to all activities. However, the site still showcases equipment highlight reels, expedition descriptions, and offerings for touring the Titanic wreckage.
The Titan submersible, weighing 23,000 pounds and roughly the size of a minivan, was part of OceanGate’s $250,000-per-ticket tourist excursions to explore the remains of the Titanic, resting 12,500 feet below the ocean’s surface-equivalent to about ten times the height of the Empire State Building.
On June 18, during a dive towards the Titanic, the Titan lost contact with its mother ship. The submersible’s failure to resurface triggered an extensive international search that captivated the world’s attention. Four days later, it was confirmed that the Titan had suffered a catastrophic implosion.
The crew members who lost their lives have been identified as Stockton Rush, Hamish Harding, Paul-Henri Nargeolet, Shahzada Dawood, and Suleman Dawood.
The company, founded in 2009, provided tourists with the unique opportunity to explore shipwrecks and underwater canyons in submersibles. The U.S. Coast Guard is currently leading an investigation into the incident, with the Marine Board of Investigation set to conduct further analysis and testing on the evidence.
As the investigation delves into uncharted territory, experts anticipate that it will take months to analyze the failures and determine the full extent of the incident’s implications.
