US Coast Guard Rear Adm. John Mauger on Thursday said that all members on the OceanGate Titan submersible that went missing have died. In a press conference, he further confirmed that search crews discovered five major pieces of debris.

Also read | Can Titan Five’s bodies be recovered from OceanGate submersible after it imploded?

Who is Rear Admiral John Mauger?

Rear Admiral Mauger was appointed First Coast Guard District Commander in May 2022. The management of Coast Guard activities covering more than 2,000 miles of coastline, from the American-Canadian border to northern New Jersey, as well as 1300 miles offshore, is within the purview of this district, which includes eight states in the Northeast.

Rear Admiral Mauger’s previous position was Assistant Commandant for Prevention Policy, where he was in charge of developing national policies, guidelines, and initiatives to advance marine safety, security, and environmental stewardship.

Also read | OceanGate submersible likely imploded killing passengers onboard in milliseconds, expert says as landing frame, rear cover found

He previously held the position of Assistant Commandant for Capability. He was given the responsibility of determining and supplying the Coast Guard with the requisite capabilities, competencies, and abilities in this position. Mauger was also heading the search for Titan sub which went missing.

The US Coast Guard previously admitted that a particular sound discovered during the search operations had provided them with a crystal-clear target and direction for their ongoing efforts. The Coast Guard and experts worked closely together, Rear Admiral Mauger emphasized, to carefully examine and understand the importance of this particular noise signature.

Also read | OceanGate submersible waiver mentions ‘death’ 3 times on first page but does not save company from ‘criminal liability’

The terrible demise of the five people on board the missing submersible, according to a US Coast Guard official, was judged by a  “catastrophic implosion.” The tragic discovery signals the end of the huge international hunt for the Titan, which disappeared while en route to the Titanic. The US Coast Guard received a distress signal from the submersible’s command ship on Sunday, informing them that the company had lost touch with the vessel 900 miles east of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The development came after it was officially confirmed that the vessel has run out of oxygen.