OceanGate, the American company behind the submarine that imploded last month near the wreck of the Titanic, has immediately ceased operations. The company announced this on Thursday in a brief statement on its website. The remains of the Titan disappeared last June and were only found after a large-scale search and rescue operation that lasted for days. All five occupants died.
The company organized tourist excursions to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean and to the wreck of the Titanic. The company now says it is suspending all of its excursions and commercial operations.
The small submarine, about 6.5 meters long, appeared to have imploded shortly after its dive. Canadian and US authorities have announced further investigations into the exact causes of the implosion.
On board the Titan were British explorer and billionaire Hamish Harding and Stockton Rush, the founder of OceanGate Expeditions, who organized the expedition and was the driver of the boat. Rescue teams found the debris at a depth of nearly 4,000 meters on the sea floor.
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