The search ended Thursday for the missing Titanic-exploring submersible, OceanGate's Titan, with the Coast Guard confirming that it had identified a piece of the vessel among a debris field spotted by a remote-controlled device near the site of the famous ship's wreckage. 

Coast Guard Rear Adm. John Mauger made the grim announcement at a press conference Thursday afternoon, saying, "Our most heartfelt condolences go out to the friends and loved ones of the crew."

Mauger said that a piece of the Titan's tail cone was identified, and that the debris field was consistent with a "catastrophic implosion of the vessel." It is not clear whether human remains will be recovered from the site, in what Mauger called "an incredibly unforgiving environment down there on the sea floor," per the New York Times.

As CBS News reported, the search area that was being explored was done so using the Ann Harvey and Motor Vessel Horizon Arctic, both equipped with remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) to aid in the search. Previously, Canadian planes detected underwater noise; however, it was difficult to determine the source of these noises or whether they were relevant to the search for the submersible.

Interestingly, the CEO and founder of OceanGate Expeditions, Stockton Rush, has ties to a prominent San Francisco-based family. SFist highlighted a previous New York Times wedding announcement stating Rush is the grandson of Louise M. Davies, the philanthropist and namesake of San Francisco's Davies Symphony Hall. The Rush family has long been active in philanthropy, culture, and business in the Bay Area — his father was also a vice-president of the famed Bohemian Club — and now Stockton Rush finds himself at the center of attention due to the missing OceanGate submersible.

OceanGate's Titan submersible went missing on June 18, during a planned trip to the Titanic wreckage site. The craft lost contact with its parent ship only two hours into its dive, and since then, there has been no sign of the vessel. The Titan was carrying a total of five passengers, among them British businessman and explorer Hamish Harding, British-Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman, as well as French maritime expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet, well-known for his numerous dives to the Titanic wreck site.

Yesterday, rescue efforts continued, but today, it was suspected that the emergency oxygen supply onboard the Titan was believed to have run out, as TMZ reported. However, despite the setbacks and concerns, the discovery of the debris field offers a potentially sad end in the search for the missing submersible and its passengers.

In addition to the search for the missing Titan, debates surrounding the safety and preparedness of OceanGate Expeditions have emerged. The company has faced criticism from industry professionals expressing concerns about OceanGate's operational methods and their potentially negative consequences. Some experts even co-signed an open letter to Stockton Rush in 2018 expressing their "unanimous concern" about the company's approach and its potential impact on the entire industry.

However, despite the obstacles faced by OceanGate, its mission to explore the underwater world and document threatened ocean environments, such as the Titanic wreckage site, has undeniable importance. As the founder, Stockton Rush, mentioned in a 2018 interview, the expeditions serve to raise awareness and preserve these areas before they become unrecognizable.

This post has been updated throughout following the Coast Guard press conference.