The family of the French explorer and Titanic expert who died aboard OceanGate’s Titan has broken silence after the tragedy.
On Thursday, the US Coast Guard confirmed that all five crew members of Titan died when the sub imploded just hours after it set out on its journey to visit the Titanic wreckage at the bottom of the Atlantic.
Now, the family of French adventurist and explorer Paul-Henri Nargeolet paid the late Titanic expert a tribute in which they remembered him for his “big heart” and his passion for diving.
“Our hearts are broken over the loss of our extraordinary father and husband,” Nargeolet’s family expressed in a statement.
“He is a man who will be remembered as one of the greatest deep-sea explorers in modern history. When you think of the Titanic and all we know about the ship today, you will think of Paul-Henri Nargeolet and his legendary work.
“But what we will remember him most for is his big heart, his incredible sense of humor and how much he loved his family. We will miss him today and every day for the rest of our lives.”
The family also took the opportunity to thank everyone involved in the search and rescue mission for giving it their all in hopes of finding the missing sub and its crew.
Speaking out was also PH’s stepson, John Paschall, who told CBS that his love for science was inspired by his stepfather’s devotion to the subject.
“Science is now my favorite subject, and it was one of those things where he never forced any help. I went and asked and he just did it,” he said.
Other victims of the doomed OceanGate expedition to the Titanic wreckage include OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, British billionaire Hamish Harding, Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood, and Dawood’s 19-year-old son, Suleman.
Our thoughts remain with the victims’ loved ones during this challenging time.