Investigation Underway into Implosion of Titanic-Bound Submersible in Canada

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The Transportation Safety Board of Canada announced on Saturday that it has launched an investigation into the loss of the Titan submersible, which imploded during its journey. The board has been in contact with individuals who were aboard the Polar Prince, the mothership of the Titan. Authorities from the United States and Canada have commenced a joint effort to determine the cause of the underwater implosion and grapple with the responsibility of establishing how the tragic incident unfolded.

Maritime agencies are currently conducting search operations in the North Atlantic region where the vessel was destroyed, resulting in the loss of all five individuals on board. Debris from the submersible was discovered approximately 12,500 feet (3,810 meters) beneath the surface, a few hundred feet away from the Titanic wreckage it was intended to explore.

Kathy Fox, the chair of the transportation board, stated, “Given that this was a Canadian-flagged vessel that departed from a Canadian port and was involved in this occurrence, albeit in international waters, we are conducting a safety investigation in Canada.” She also expressed willingness to collaborate and share information collected with other agencies such as the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board and the U.S. Coast Guard, as permitted by Canadian law. However, certain information, including voice recordings and witness statements, is protected under Canadian law.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police also confirmed that they have initiated an examination into the circumstances surrounding the deaths related to the Titan submersible. They will determine whether a full investigation is necessary, which would occur if any potential violations of criminal, federal, or provincial law are identified.

The initial search and rescue mission, which involved significant international coordination, was led by the Coast Guard and is estimated to have incurred costs amounting to millions of dollars.

The complexity of the investigation is further compounded by the lack of comprehensive regulation in the field of deep-sea exploration. Questions have been raised about the design and safety of the Titan, as it was not registered as a U.S. vessel nor with international safety regulatory bodies. Additionally, it did not receive classification from a maritime industry group responsible for setting standards.

The lead authority for the investigation has yet to be definitively determined due to the involvement of multiple countries. OceanGate Expeditions, the U.S.-based company that owned and operated the Titan, has closed down since the incident. However, the submersible was registered in the Bahamas. Meanwhile, the Polar Prince, the Titan’s mother ship, was from Canada, and the victims hailed from England, Pakistan, France, and the United States.

The U.S. Coast Guard, in conjunction with the National Transportation Safety Board, has declared the loss of the Titan submersible as a “major marine casualty,” but it remains unclear whether the Coast Guard will assume leadership of the investigation.

Given the challenging conditions of the deep-sea environment, the subsequent investigations are expected to be extensive and meticulous.

An important aspect of the investigation will involve examining the Titan itself. Concerns have been raised about the vessel’s potential susceptibility to disaster due to its unconventional design and the creator’s refusal to subject it to independent safety checks, which are standard in the industry.

Some questions regarding the timeline of the implosion have been partially answered. After the Titan was reported missing, the U.S. Navy analyzed its acoustic data and discovered an “anomaly” consistent with an implosion or explosion in the general vicinity where the submersible was operating when communication was lost. However, the data was not initially considered definitive, and the Coast Guard continued its search efforts.