Rescue expert confirms: Debris is missing sub's landing frame and fairing

According to Mearns, the president of the club, who maintains direct connections to the ships at the site, shared a written message within the group stating, "It was a landing frame and a rear cover from the submersible."

"Again this is an unconventional submarine, that rear cover is the pointy end of it and the landing frame is the little frame that it seems to sit on," explained Mearns. 

Importantly, Mearns emphasized that this confirmation establishes the identity of the discovered debris as belonging to the submersible.

"It means the hull hasn't yet been found but two very important parts of the whole system have been discovered and that would not be found unless its fragmented," he added.

Regarding the submarine's faring— shaped like a fishtail—Mearns also said: "If the faring is off and the frame is off - then something really bad has happened to the entire structure."

"On the news that we have yet, they haven't found the hull of which the men are inside."

Since then, Trevor Hale, a spokesperson for the Explorers Club, clarified to The Independent that the message sent by the club's president, Richard Garriot, to others in the group had been misrepresented.

According to Hale, the items identified as a "landing frame" and a "rear cover" found in the "debris field" could potentially be remnants from a previous Titan dive.

The US Coast Guard is scheduled to hold a press briefing to discuss findings from the Horizon Arctic’s remotely operated vehicle near the Titanic at 3:00 pm local time (ET).

This is breaking news and will be promptly updated as new details emerge.