Officials investigating the ill-fated Titan submersible are analyzing voice recordings and data from its mothership.
The objective is to shed light on the cause of the incident and determine if any criminal activities occurred during the doomed voyage.
Representatives from the Transportation Safety Board of Canada recently visited the Polar Prince, the lead ship of the OceanGate Titan sub, to gather crucial information from the vessel’s voyage data recorder and other systems that may contain pertinent data. According to TSB chairperson Kathy Fox, the focus of the investigation is not to lay blame but rather to understand what transpired, why it happened, and how similar incidents can be prevented in the future. Fox acknowledged the potential usefulness of voice recordings in this investigative process.
Meanwhile, authorities are deliberating whether to initiate a criminal investigation, as confirmed by Royal Canadian Mounted Police Superintendent Kent Osmond. Osmond clarified that such an investigation would only proceed if the circumstances surrounding the incident indicate a potential violation of federal, provincial, or criminal laws.
The star crossed journey of the OceanGate Expeditions’ Titan submersible commenced on June 18, with the objective of exploring the wreckage of the Titanic in the depths of the Atlantic Ocean. The submersible carried five passengers, including two billionaires, a deep-sea explorer, the CEO and founder of the company, and a college student. Sealed in the sub with 17 externally operated bolts, the passengers were estimated to have had approximately 96 hours of oxygen reserves upon submersion. However, contact with the submersible was lost around one hour and 45 minutes into the expedition, at a depth believed to be nearly 10,000 feet.
Despite initial hopes raised by reports of recurring underwater noises, later deemed unrelated to the missing crew, the US Coast Guard has confirmed that debris found approximately 1,600 feet from the bow of the Titanic indicates a catastrophic implosion of the submersible. Tragically, the bodies of the five occupants, identified as Sulaiman Dawood, 19, Shahzada Dawood, 48, Hamish Harding, 58, Paul-Henri Nargeolet, 77, and OceanGate’s CEO, Stockton Rush, 61, are unlikely to be recovered.
In 2018, the Marine Technology Society reportedly sent a letter to Stockton Rush, urging him to ensure proper third-party testing of their prototypes before venturing to such great depths, in order to prioritize passenger safety. Allegedly, Rush declined to comply with the recommendation.