US Coast Guard launches probe into Titanic submersible tragedy

WASHINGTON: The US Coast Guard has announced launching a probe to find out the cause of the "catastrophic implosion" of Titan that occurred underwater when the submersible took a dip into the ocean to see the wreckage of Titanic, killing all five aboard.

The authority said that a marine board of investigation (MBI) had been created to lead its highest level of probe, for this drama and ultimate tragedy in the North Atlantic that drew worldwide attention.

"My primary goal is to prevent a similar occurrence by making the necessary recommendations to enhance the safety of the maritime domain worldwide," Jason Neubauer, the Coast Guard´s chief investigator and leader of this probe, told a press conference in Boston.

"The MBI is already in its initial evidence-collection phase, including debris salvage operations at the incident site," he added.

Neubauer said the US probe could also make recommendations on the possible pursuit of civil or criminal sanctions "as necessary."

Titan was reported missing last Sunday and the Coast Guard said Thursday that all five people aboard the submersible had died after the vessel suffered a catastrophic implosion.

A debris field was found on the seafloor, 1,600 feet (500 meters) from the bow of the Titanic, which sits more than two miles (nearly four kilometers) below the ocean's surface and 400 miles off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada.

Canada, which helped in the search for the submersible, said Saturday it was carrying out its own probe.

The Canadian-flagged Polar Prince cargo vessel towed the Titan out to sea last weekend but lost contact with it about an hour and 45 minutes after the submersible launched into the ocean depths.

The announcement of the implosion ended a multinational search-and-rescue operation that captured the world's attention since the tourist craft went missing.

The US authorities had confirmed the tragic loss of the submersible Titan.

All five men on board lost their lives in what was described as a "catastrophic implosion," or a violent collapse inwards. While some details about the event have been established, many questions about what exactly happened remain unanswered, which gave rise to the calls for a full investigation.

US Coast Guard Rear Admiral John Mauger said last Thursday that he was unsure whether it would be possible to locate the bodies of the five men who died in the Titan submersible.

"This is an incredibly unforgiving environment," he said, referring to the deep and dangerous underwater area where the submersible disappeared.

Those aboard included wealthy British businessmen Hamish Harding and Shahzada Dawood, whose son Suleman joined them on the Titan. OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush was also part of the crew, along with former French navy diver Paul-Henry Nargeolet. It's a tragic situation, and the families of those who died deserve to know what happened and to have closure if possible.