US and Canada Begin Investigation into Titanic-Bound Submersible Implosion

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Investigative authorities in the U.S. and Canada have started to unravel the mystery behind the fatal implosion of the Titan submersible, while tackling the question of responsibility for determining the specifics of the disaster.

While no formal inquiry has been officially launched yet due to ongoing searches in the area where the vessel imploded, the U.S. Coast Guard announced on Friday that five lives were tragically lost when the submersible was destroyed near the Titanic wreckage it had set out to explore.

The initial search and rescue operation was spearheaded by the U.S. Coast Guard, an extensive international effort which likely cost millions of dollars. However, the leading authority for the subsequent multifaceted investigation involving multiple nations remains undetermined. The Titan was owned and operated by OceanGate Expeditions, a U.S. company, but was registered in the Bahamas. The mother ship, the Polar Prince, was from Canada, and the victims were from England, Pakistan, France, and the U.S.

The U.S. Coast Guard has labelled the Titan submersible’s loss as a “major marine casualty”, with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) joining the investigation. Although the Coast Guard is expected to spearhead the investigation, this has not been officially confirmed.

Simultaneously, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada announced that it will investigate the Polar Prince. The ship had 17 crew members and 24 others onboard during the ill-fated voyage of the Titan.

Deep-sea investigations are inherently complex and protracted, largely due to the challenges of working in an unforgiving environment on the ocean floor, as stated by Rear Adm. John Mauger of the Coast Guard First District.

The framework of the comprehensive investigation is made complicated by the loosely regulated world of deep-sea exploration. Compared to space exploration companies, deep-sea expeditions like those run by OceanGate are under less stringent scrutiny, noted Salvatore Mercogliano, a maritime history and policy professor at Campbell University.

A crucial element of the investigation is likely to center on the Titan itself, given that the unconventional design and lack of independent checks have raised concerns about its safety. The Titan was neither registered as a U.S. vessel nor adhered to the safety regulations of international agencies.

Stockton Rush, the CEO of OceanGate, was piloting the Titan when the implosion occurred. He argued that excessive regulations can hinder progress.

According to acoustic data analyzed by the Navy, the implosion likely happened on Sunday, coinciding with the loss of communication with the vessel. The Titan was reported missing later in the day, prompting a rescue operation involving ships, planes, and other resources. On Thursday, hopes of finding any survivors were dashed when debris was located near the Titanic.

Among those lost in the incident were Stockton Rush; Shahzada Dawood and Suleman Dawood from Pakistan; British adventurer Hamish Harding; and Titanic expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet. The impending legal battle promises to be complex, with the main challenge being to establish jurisdiction, a problem that also plagues the investigation, according to Steve Flynn, a retired Coast Guard officer and director of Northeastern University’s Global Resilience Institute.

The catastrophic event has been the subject of comment by Titanic movie director James Cameron, who expressed little doubt about the severity of the incident when he learned of the simultaneous loss of navigation and communications on the submersible.

OceanGate’s submersible carried at least 46 people successfully to the Titanic wreck site in 2021 and 2022, according to company documentation filed with a U.S. District Court. However, concerns about the safety of the submersible have been expressed by a former employee and past passengers.

This report includes contributions from Big Big News writers Lolita C. Baldor, Ben Finley, Holly Ramer, David Sharp, and Gene Johnson.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Titan Submersible Implosion Investigation

More about Titan Submersible Implosion Investigation

• U.S. Coast Guard
• National Transportation Safety Board
• Transportation Safety Board of Canada
• OceanGate Expeditions
• Global Resilience Institute at Northeastern University
• Maritime Safety Regulations
• Deep-Sea Exploration