The key components of the missing submersible that were claimed to be found in the debris field, could have been from a previous Titan dive a message seen by The Independent indicates.

Trevor Hale, a spokesperson for the Explorers Club told The Independent that the message that Explorers Club president Richard Garriot sent to others in a group was misrepresented.

The “landing frame” and “rear cover” of the submersible found could have been from a previous dive.

In his message, Mr Garriot wrote: “We understand debris has been found which may be the landing frame and a rear cover of the tail instrument compartment of the Titan lost on previous dives. We hear there may be additional debris, but no updated visuals of the submersible.”

The daughter of one of the five people inside the submersible missing near the wreck of the Titanic said she continued to hope they would be rescued but that she is comforted by the knowledge that her father, oceanographer Henri Nargeolet, is in the place he loved most.

Sidonie Nargeolet said she was living with “a lot of stress, very mixed emotions” as the desperate search for the missing submersible near the wreck of the Titanic entered a critical phase when air was expected to run out for the five people aboard.

Jane Dalton reports:

OceanGate Inc, the company that owns and operates OceanGate Expeditions, allegedly received $447,000 from the US Government’s Payment Protection Program (PPP) in 2020.

According to ProPublica’s public tracking of PPP loans, OceanGate Inc received the money to pay their 22 reported staff members during the pandemic.

The government’s loan program was meant to help companies continue to keep their workforce employed during the pandemic.

Approximately $450,074 of that loan was forgiven.

David Mearns, a rescue expert and friend of Hamish Harding and Paul-Henri Nargeolet, told Sky News that the “debris field” allegedly includes the “landing frame and rear cover” from the missing submersible.

Mr Mearns said he is in a WhatsApp group that involves members of The Explorers Club.

He claims that the president of the Explorers Club (which the website lists as Richard Garriot) is allegedly in direct contact with the vessels at the search site and told the WhatsApp group rescuers found the “landing frame” and “rear cover.”

Mr Mearns said: “This is an unconventional submarine, that rear over is the pointy end of it and the landing frame is the little frame that it seems to sit on.”

“If the faring is off and the frame is off then something really bad has happened to the entire structure,” he claimed.

The Coast Guard and other officials have not confirmed this yet. They are expected to hold a press conference at 3pm EST.

Sidonie Nargeolet, the daughter of renowned French diver Paul-Henri Nargeolet told Reuters that she’s lived with a lot of mixed emotions about her father missing but knows he was doing what he was most passionate about.

“If they are not found, it will be very sad for us because we will not see him again,” Ms Nargeolet, 39, said.

Ms Nargeolet said at times she has a lot of hope that her father and the five other passengers will be found but as time goes on it becomes more difficult.

She said: “What he liked the most was to be in a submarine, (near) the Titanic. He is where he really loved being. I would prefer him (dying) at a place where he is very happy.”

Doug Virnig, who helped develop the Titan, told CNN that OceanGate used off-the-shelf technology such as a Logitech video game controller, to save on research and development costs.

“It seems kind of cheesy, but if you knew the amount of technology that was packed in that controller and its capabilities, and the amount of money that it costs to develop something like that, it’s just off the charts,” he told the news network of the $29.99 controller.

Graeme Massie reports:

The US Coast Guard announced on Thursday morning that an ROV, or remotely-operated vehicle, discovered a “debris field” near the Titanic wreckage in the search for the missing submersible.

“While using ROVs eliminates the ‘human presence’ in the water, in most cases, ROV operations are simpler and safer to conduct than any type of occupied-submersible or diving operation because operators can stay safe (and dry!) on ship decks,” NOAA says on their website.

The ROV which found the debris field was on the Canadian vessel Horizon Arctics.

Rear Admiral John Mauger and Captain Jamie Frederick of the US Coast Guard will host a press briefing at 3pm EST (8pm UK Time) to discuss updates in the search for the missing submersible as well as the news that a “debris field” was found near the Titanic wreckage.

The debris field was apparently found by the Horizon Arctics ROV on the sea floor.

The US Coast Guard said a “debris field” was discovered in the search area near the Titanic wreckage on Thursday morning.

In a tweet, the Coast Guard said an ROV (remote operated vehicle) discovered the “debris field” while searching the designated area for the missing submersible.

“Experts within the unified command are evaluating the information,” The Coast Guard wrote.