(WASHINGTON) — Marine safety engineers with the U.S. Coast Guard’s Marine Board of Investigation (MBI) recovered and transferred remaining Titan submersible debris and evidence from the North Atlantic Ocean seafloor on Oct. 4.
The salvage mission, which was conducted under an existing agreement with U.S. Navy supervisor of salvage and diving, was a follow-up to initial recovery operations following the loss of the Titan submersible. Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Transportation Safety Board of Canada joined the salvage expedition as part of their respective safety investigations.
The submersible and the five men aboard were lost on June 18 during a deep dive to view the wreck of the liner Titanic. After an extensive search and rescue effort, the wreckage of Titan was located on the ocean floor approximately 1,500 feet off the bow of Titanic.
The recovered evidence was successfully transferred to a U.S. port for cataloging and analysis. Additional presumed human remains were carefully recovered from within Titan’s debris and transported for analysis by U.S. medical professionals.
The MBI is coordinating with NTSB and other international investigative agencies to schedule a joint evidence review of recovered Titan debris. This review session will help determine the next steps for necessary forensic testing.
The MBI will continue evidence analysis and witness interviews ahead of 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
