The co-founder of OceanGate was stunned after he was interrupted during a TV interview to be told that debris of the missing Titan submersible had been found.
OceanGate Expeditions, a company that would take people to visit the wreck of the Titanic, has said that the five crew members on board the submersible are now believed to be dead.
On Friday (16 June), the group of five embarked on an expedition which set off from St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada.
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Two days later (18 June), the submersible did not return to the surface.
"We now believe that our CEO Stockton Rush, Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman Dawood, Hamish Harding, and Paul-Henri Nargeolet, have sadly been lost," a statement from OceanGate 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.
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"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."
Guillermo Sohnlein, the co-founder of the company, previously appeared on BBC News to talk about the search.
The BBC journalist then said that he has just been informed that ‘some debris has been found’.
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Sohnlein replied: “I'm sorry, some what has been found?”
To which the journalist said: “I understand some debris has been found. I’m really sorry I don’t have any more details than that.”
The camera then cut back to Sohnlein, who responded: "I’m not sure… obviously because I’m hearing it for the first time now - but I know that our protocol for lost comms is for the pilot to surface the sub."
On Thursday (22 June), officials confirmed that the missing sub had suffered a ‘catastrophic implosion’.
Rear Admiral John Mauger said that the tail cone of the missing Titan submersible has also been found close to the wreck of the Titanic.
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During a press conference in Boston on Thursday (22 June), he said: “This morning, an ROV, or remote operated vehicle from the vessel Horizon Arctic discovered the tail cone of the Titan submersible approximately 1,600ft from the bow of the Titanic on the sea floor.
“The ROV subsequently found additional debris.
“In consultation with experts from within the unified command, the debris is consistent with the catastrophic loss of the pressure chamber.
“Upon this determination, we immediately notified the families.
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“On behalf of the United States Coast Guard and the entire unified command, I offer my deepest condolences to the families. I can only imagine what this has been like for them.
“And I hope that this discovery provides some solace during this difficult time.”
Featured Image Credit: BBCTopics: Titanic