One year after the Titan submersible was lost with five crew on a dive to the Titantic shipwreck, the U.S Coast Guard’s investigation of the accident is extending beyond the initial 12-month estimate.
“The investigation into the implosion of the Titan submersible is a complex and ongoing effort,” said Jason Neubauer, chairman of the Coast Guard Marine Board of Investigation. “We are working closely with our domestic and international partners to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the incident.”
The June 18, 2023 implosion claimed the life of Stockton Rush, co-founder and CEO of OceanGate, the company operating the unconventional submersible, which had been making dives to the shipwreck 435 miles southeast of Newfoundland since 2021.
The Titan lost contact with its support vessel two hours into the dive, and U.S. Navy acoustic data showed a signal consistent with an implosion. On June 22 Coast Guard officials said debris had been located on the bottom near the Titantic; an endcap to the vehicle’s hull and other debris were later recovered.
“Several factors have extended the original 12-month timeline for the investigation,” Coast Guard officials said in an update. “These include the need to contract two salvage missions to secure vital evidence and the extensive forensic testing required, which has led to necessary delays.”
“The MBI continues to coordinate with multiple investigative agencies that have concurrent jurisdiction or a substantial interest in the marine casualty.”
Board chairman Jason Neubauer is a retired Coast Guard officer and longtime investigations expert. Notably he was chairman of the Coast Guard board that investigated the 2015 sinking of the U.S.-flag cargo vessel El Faro. Formerly chief of the Coast Guard Office of Investigations and Analysis, Neubauer continues to serve as a civilian in the investigations program.
“We’re grateful for the international and interagency cooperation which has been vital in recovering, preserving and forensically testing evidence from a remote offshore region and extreme depth,” Neubauer said. “The MBI is committed to ensuring that we fully understand the factors that led to this tragedy in order to prevent similar occurrences in the future.”
The MBI currently intends to hold a public hearing session by the end of the year, with specific details to be announced at least 60 days in advance.
Updates on the investigation are published online at the Titan Submersible Marine Board of Investigation webpage at www.news.uscg.mil/News-by-Region/Headquarters/TITAN-submersible.
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