Four days after going missing, the company operating the Titanic research submersible addressed the fate of its passengers.
OceanGate said in a June 22 statement that they “now believe” that all five people on board—company CEO Stockton Rush as well as passengers Hamish Harding, Paul-Henri, Shahzada Dawood and his 19-year-old son Suleman Dawood—”have sadly been lost.”
“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 statement continued. “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.”
OceanGate reflected on the challenging time for all involved in the mission and rescue efforts.
“This is an extremely sad time for our dedicated employees who are exhausted and grieving deeply over this loss,” the company said. “The entire OceanGate family is deeply grateful for the countless men and women from multiple organizations of the international community who expedited wide-ranging resources and have worked so very hard on this mission. We appreciate their commitment to finding these five explorers, and their days and nights of tireless work in support of our crew and their families.”