Titan submersible

A submersible carrying five people to the Titanic imploded near the site of the shipwreck and killed everyone on board, authorities said Thursday.

One of the people aboard the submersible touring the wreckage of the Titanic had ties to Georgia. Paul-Henry Nargeolet was considered one of the leading experts on the Titanic. He is listed as the director of underwater research for the RMS Titanic and E/M Group, the latter based in Peachtree Corners, Ga.

Paul-Henry (PH) Nargeolet

Paul-Henry (PH) Nargeolet, Director of Underwater Research, is in the missing submersible.

Credit: E/M Group

The U.S. Coast Guard confirmed Thursday afternoon that all passengers are believed to be dead after a catastrophic implosion of the submersible. 

Jessica Sanders

Jessica Sanders,CEO E/M Group - President, RMS Titanic, talks about the missing submersible.

Credit: E/M Group

The CEO of E/M Group and president of RMS Titanic Inc., Jessica Sanders, said that she and her colleagues are "devastated" over Nargeolet's death. 

Nargeolet dedicated his life to educating young people about oceanography and leading ocean expeditions. He preferred being on a ship to working at a desk, Sanders said. 

She said Nargeolet's colleagues will honor his legacy through their continuing work. 

"I think we carry the torch on," she said. "We pause in quiet reflection of his contributions, and then we continue and we do the thing that he loves to do, and we use him as an inspiration."

LISTEN: Jessica Sanders remembers her colleague who died on the OceanGate Titan expedition to the Titanic.

Sanders released this statement about Paul earlier this week.

OceanGate, the company leading the submersible expedition, released a statement on Twitter mourning the lives lost. 

Tags: Titan  Titan submersible  Titanic  navy  Coast guard  Atlantic Ocean