Titan: US Coast Guard says the bodies of those on board Titan may never be retrieved.

Rear Admiral John Mauger, the First Coast Guard District commander, addresses the media. AFP

The bodies of the five passengers aboard the Titanic sub that was lost in a “catastrophic implosion” near the wreck may never be recovered from the Atlantic, said the US Coast Guard. The pressure chamber of the OceanGate Titan was found among other debris, approximately 1,600ft from the bow of the Titanic on the sea floor by a remote-operated vehicle (ROV) yesterday.

“This is an incredibly unforgiving environment out there on the sea floor. The debris is consistent with the catastrophic implosion of the vessel. We will continue to work and search the area down there but I don’t have an answer on prospects at this time,” said Rear Admiral John Mauger of the US Coast Guard, according to the Independent. The Rear Admiral said that sonar buoys had been in the water for the past 72 hours and that they had not picked up any evidence of an implosion, suggesting that it had happened early on in the dive.

It was due to be a once-in-a-lifetime trip, travelling to the ocean floor and the chance to view what few people have ever done – the 111-year-old wreck of the Titanic. A British billionaire explorer, a Pakistani-British father and son, a French diver, and the chief executive of the submersible tourist company boarded the OceanGate Expedition’s submersible, the Titan, full of a spirit of adventure and excitement. But, in a chilling echo of the fate of the doomed 1912 vessel, soon after setting out, the expedition took a dramatic turn.

The wreck’s location is approximately 370 miles off the coast of Newfoundland in the North Atlantic Ocean. The rescue operation changed to a salvage mission In a statement, the Canadian Armed Forces said: “The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) and the Canadian Armed Forces offer their sincere condolences to the family and friends of the crew of the Titan for their tragic loss.

“This is a truly unfortunate outcome that concludes the great efforts and cooperation between countries, militaries and partners. “As this operation is transitioning to recovery and salvage, MRCC Boston no longer requires rescue services. “All JRCC rescue assets will return to base to regenerate search and rescue capability and prepare for future search and rescue events. The extent of Canadian assistance with recovery and salvage is currently being discussed.”