Titanic tourist sub photos show wreckage being brought ashore

28 June 2023

Madeline Halpert

BBC News

Watch: Video shows wreckage of Titan sub brought ashore

Parts of the tourist submersible that imploded on a deep dive to the Titanic, killing five people, have been seen for the first time since the incident.

Metal wreckage from the Titan sub was unloaded from the Horizon Arctic ship in St John's, Canada, on Wednesday.

Photographs showed metal pieces from the sub covered in tarps before cranes lifted them on to trucks.

US Coast Guard officials have said the submersible's landing frame and a rear cover were found among the debris.

All five people on board the vessel died on 18 June after it imploded about 90 minutes into a dive to view the famous 1912 shipwreck, which sits at a depth of 3,800m (12,500ft) in the north Atlantic.

The submersible's construction included at least one titanium end cap, a titanium ring and a carbon fibre cylinder.

Human remains thought to be found in Titan sub debris

The debris brought ashore on Wednesday appeared to include at least one titanium end cap, the sub's porthole with its window missing, as well as a titanium ring, landing frame and the end equipment bay, according to BBC science correspondent Jonathan Amos.

The bits of debris were carefully loaded onto trucks by workers in the port of St John's

Reuters Parts of what appear to be the sub's fuselage are loaded onto trucks in St John's — The bits of debris were carefully loaded onto trucks by workers in the port of St John's

A piece of the submersible that contained the porthole, shown with its window missing, appeared to be brought ashore

CBC Newfoundland and Labrador The porthole of the Titan sub appears to be among the wreckage brought ashore — A piece of the submersible that contained the porthole, shown with its window missing, appeared to be brought ashore

One part appeared to be of the tail section of the OceanGate Titan sub that would normally be covered by the fuselage

Shutterstock Debris from the Titan submersible, recovered from the ocean floor near the wreck of the Titanic, is unloaded — One part appeared to be of the tail section of the OceanGate Titan sub that would normally be covered by the fuselage

A crane lifted some of the debris after they were salvaged by recovery workers

Shutterstock Debris from the Titan submersible lifted by crane — A crane lifted some of the debris after they were salvaged by recovery workers

Some of the debris was covered up as crews loaded parts onto trucks

Shutterstock Debris from the Titan are covered in tarp — Some of the debris was covered up as crews loaded parts onto trucks

Wires from a metal part of the Titan could be seen

Shutterstock Large wires from one metal part of the Titan debris can be seen — Wires from a metal part of the Titan could be seen

Pieces that resembled the submersible's landing legs were also brought ashore

Shutterstock Debris from Titan submersible — Pieces that resembled the submersible's landing legs were also brought ashore

A titanium ring appeared to be hoisted into the air by a crane

Graphic showing main pieces of the Titan submersible

So far, five major pieces have been found below the surface in a large debris field near the bow of the Titanic, according to the last update from the US Coast Guard.

The agency has launched an investigation into the causes of the Titan disaster, which is in its initial phase.

Officials have said they will try to establish what caused the implosion, and make recommendations to prevent future tragedies.

The head of OceanGate, which organised the dive, 61-year-old Stockton Rush; British explorer Hamish Harding, 58; Shahzada Dawood, 48, and his son, Suleman Dawood, 19; and French diver Paul-Henry Nargeolet, 77, all died in the incident.

Titanic Sub Search

Jessica Parker explores how the search for the Titan submersible unfolded and its devastating outcome.

Watch now on BBC iPlayer (UK only)

OceanGate has since been criticised for its safety practices. Former employees had raised several concerns about the Titan sub, which was not subject to regulation.

In email messages seen by the BBC, Mr Rush had previously dismissed safety worries from one expert, saying he was "tired of industry players who try to use a safety argument to stop innovation".

In a statement last week, OceanGate said it was "an extremely sad time for our employees who are exhausted and grieving deeply over this loss".

Watch: James Cameron told the BBC he "felt in his bones" what happened to the sub

Titanic tourist sub photos show wreckage being brought ashore

Teen on sub took Rubik's Cube to break record - mother

James Cameron: Titan sub company cut corners

OceanGate: A maverick, rule-breaking founder and a tragic end

An 'abomination' of a sub – and the boss convinced Titan was safe

Wreckage shows how Titan's hull came apart

Footage shows underwater robot salvaging Titan sub

Man building Lego Titanic appeals for spare bricks

Watch given to Titanic hero sells for £1.5m

Boss of Titan sub firm said: 'No-one is dying under my watch'

'All good here': Titan sub's last messages before implosion

Titan sub disaster: Five key questions that remain