(WASHINGTON) – The U.S. Coast Guard received debris and evidence recovered from the seafloor at the site of the Titan submersible when M/V Horizon Arctic arrived in St. John’s, Newfoundland, on Wednesday.
After consultation with international partner investigative agencies, the Marine Board of Investigation (MBI) intends to transport the evidence aboard a Coast Guard cutter to a port in the United States where the MBI will be able to facilitate further analysis and testing.
United States medical professionals will conduct a formal analysis of presumed human remains that have been carefully recovered within the wreckage at the site of the incident.
“I am grateful for the coordinated international and interagency support to recover and preserve this vital evidence at extreme offshore distances and depths,” said MBI Chairman Capt. Jason Neubauer. “The evidence will provide investigators from several international jurisdictions with critical insights into the cause of this tragedy. There is still a substantial amount of work to be done to understand the factors that led to the catastrophic loss of the Titan and help ensure a similar tragedy does not occur again.”
The MBI will continue evidence collection and witness interviews to inform a public hearing regarding this tragedy. Additional updates will be available on the Titan submersible Marine Board of Investigation webpage.
Anyone wishing to provide information that may assist the Coast Guard MBI can submit it to accidentinfo@uscg.mil.
– U.S. Coast Guard