London, 22 June 2023 (dpa/MIA) - The pilot and four passengers of the missing Titan submersible are believed to be dead.

OceanGate Expeditions said its pilot and chief executive Stockton Rush – along with UK citizens Hamish Harding, Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman Dawood and French national Paul-Henri Nargeolet “have sadly been lost.”

The US Coast Guard offered its “deepest condolences” to the families after the tail cone of the submersible was found around 487 metres from the bow of the Titanic wreckage.

In a press conference, Rear Admiral John Mauger said further debris was “consistent with a catastrophic loss of the pressure chamber.”

In a statement, OceanGate Expeditions said: “These men were true explorers who shared a distinct spirit of adventure, and a deep passion for exploring and protecting the world’s oceans.

“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.”