Rear Adm. John Mauger, the First Coast Guard District commander, speaking to reporters in Boston, Massachusetts, on June 22. Photo: Scott Eisen/Getty Images
Debris and "presumed human remains" from the Titan tourist submersible that imploded during a diving trip to the wreck of the Titanic earlier this month have been recovered, the U.S. Coast Guard said on Wednesday.
Driving the news: Debris and evidence taken from the site of the sub's "catastrophic implosion" that killed all five men on board was unloaded at the Canadian port in St John's in Newfoundland and Labrador on Wednesday, per a U.S. Coast Guard statement.
What they're saying: Capt. Jason Neubauer, chair of the Coast Guard's board that investigates marine casualties or accidents, said the materials were recovered "at extreme offshore distances and depths" and would be transferred to investigators from several international jurisdictions.
- There is still a substantial amount of work to be done to understand the factors that led to the catastrophic loss of the Titan and help ensure a similar tragedy does not occur again," Neubauer said in a statement.
The big picture: A massive search and rescue operation was launched hours after the sub went missing on June 18.
- Officials said last Thursday they believe the sub imploded hours into the dive when it lost contact with the Canadian support boat Polar Prince.
- OceanGate Expeditions CEO Stockton Rush, who was piloting the Titan, was among those killed.
- Also on board were Hamish Harding, a British businessman, maritime explorer Paul-Henri Nargeolet, and Shahzada Dawood, a Pakistani-British businessman, and his son Suleman.
What's next: The Coast Guard said its Marine Board of Investigation would continue to collect evidence and interview witnesses before holding a public hearing on the tragedy.
- "United States medical professionals will conduct a formal analysis of presumed human remains," per a Coast Guard statement.
Go deeper: The rise of extreme tourism
Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details of recovery efforts and further context.