The U.S. Coast Guard is investigating what caused a tourist submersible to implode while diving to the wreck of the Titanic, killing all five people on board.
The incident happened on Saturday, when the Titan submersible, operated by OceanGate Expeditions, was exploring the site of the famous shipwreck in the North Atlantic Ocean.
According to OceanGate, the Titan was designed to withstand pressures of up to 4,000 meters (13,123 feet) deep, but it suffered a “catastrophic implosion” at around 3,800 meters (12,467 feet).
The company said it was working with authorities and experts to determine the cause of the accident and recover the submersible and the remains of the victims.
The victims were identified as Stockton Rush, the founder and CEO of OceanGate; pilot Kelvin Magee; expedition leader Rob McCallum; and passengers Martin Hartley and Brandon Johnson.
Hartley, a 19-year-old from Florida, was the youngest person ever to visit the Titanic wreck. His aunt told NBC News that he was “terrified” before the trip but wanted to fulfill his lifelong dream.
OceanGate Expeditions is one of several companies that offer tours to the Titanic site, which lies about 370 miles (600 kilometers) off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada.
The Titanic sank in 1912 after hitting an iceberg, killing more than 1,500 people.
