Jersey sub search equipment stood down

Equipment including an ROV have now been removed from Jersey Airport

Specialist equipment bound for the North Atlantic sub search is being returned to the Guernsey business that owns it.

A Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) owned by Guernsey firm Magellan was seen on Thursday being readied to load on to a US transport plane at Jersey Airport.

Plans were changed after it was confirmed all five passengers of the Titanic submersible had died.

Magellan said its staff were thinking of everyone affected by the tragedy.

The firm released a statement which said: "Magellan are deeply saddened by the news confirmed by the Unified Command yesterday.

"We extend our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of those who have been affected by this tragedy."

Magellan thanked everyone involved in efforts to move the equipment and teams.

Marcus Sutton, managing director of Sutton Transport Services, said they had been tasked with removing the equipment from the airport.

He said: "We are here unloading (the equipment) from the air force plane loading machine to take it back to the harbour because it's no longer required."

On Thursday, crew had tried to load the ROV on to a C-17 Globemaster aircraft but faced technical issues described as a "glitch" by Magellan CEO Richard Parkinson.

The aircraft was returned to Belgium and a replacement arrived in Jersey on Thursday night.

While the mission has now been stood down, US Military personnel are still in Jersey.

The C-17 Globemaster landed in Jersey on Thursday

Ali Varrie, head of aerodrome operations at Ports of Jersey, confirmed a C-17 was due on Friday to pick up both personnel and loading equipment.

Magellan's ROV was used in 2022 to create a digital scan of the wreck of the cruise ship, which lies 3,800m (12,500ft) down in the Atlantic.

The BBC understands the ROV had been ready to leave since earlier in the week but had been held up by permissions.

The company's ROV was called on because of its capabilities to dive the full depth of the site.

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