TITAN TRAGEDY
What is the situation of the Titan investigation? When will the US Coast Guard present its findings?
It’s one year on from the submersible disaster that had the internet in a vice-like grip, but the findings of the investigation have not been released.
It has been one year since the Titan submersible, owned and operated by OceanGate Expeditions, imploded during its descent to view the Titanic’s wreckage, resulting in the loss of all five lives onboard.
The Titan submersible lost contact with the Polar Prince, a Canadian research vessel, approximately one hour and 45 minutes into its voyage in the North Atlantic. The submersible was on a mission to explore the Titanic’s wreckage when it experienced a catastrophic loss of the pressure chamber during its descent. The debris from the Titan was subsequently located approximately 900 nautical miles east of Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
The US Coast Guard’s Marine Board of Investigation (MBI) has been investigating the factors that led to this catastrophic event.
The investigation has yet to be completed
The MBI released a statement regarding its progress last week. It described their work as a “complicated and ongoing endeavor” that will extend beyond the initially projected timeframe. Of particular concern is the need to contract two additional salvage missions to secure more information.
The MBI had initially projected a 12-month timeline for the investigation, but the complexity of the incident and the need for additional evidence recovery have prolonged the process.
“We are working closely with our domestic and international partners to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the incident,” board chair Jason Neubauer said in a statement.
The MBI has conducted several salvage missions to recover crucial evidence from the seafloor and has been working closely with international agencies, including the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Transportation Safety Board of Canada.
While there is no specific date set for the presentation of findings, the MBI remains committed to unraveling the factors that led to this calamity and ensuring that similar incidents do not occur in the future. The investigation will continue with evidence analysis and witness interviews ahead of a public hearing regarding this tragedy.