The U.S. Coast Guard’s immediate priority as they launch an investigation into the implosion of the submersible that was exploring the wreck of the titanic will be the recovery of evidence from the bottom of the sea, an official said on Sunday.
Captain Jason Neubauer, who is leading the Coast Guard investigation into the disaster that left five people dead, told a Boston news conference that crews were ‘taking every precaution on the spot’ to recover human remains. if they find any.
The Transportation Safety Board (TSB) of Canada has also launched an investigation into the vessel, the Polar Princewhich carried the submersible Titan to his dive site, and the RCMP say they are investigating whether a full investigation into the deaths of the five people is warranted.
According to Capt. Neubauer, the Coast Guard investigation began Friday shortly after it was confirmed that the submersible, which had been missing since last Sunday, catastrophically imploded in its exploration.
He said that the investigation will endeavor to determine what led to the tragedy, and make recommendations to the competent authorities to initiate civil or criminal proceedings, if necessary.
Rear Admiral John Mauger said at the press conference that he was in Saint John, Newfoundland and Labrador, on Saturday to meet with some of the grieving families, and he thanked the first responders who, according to him, “did their best” to find the submersible.
“During my stay in Canada, I met and personally thanked the members of the Canadian Coast Guard and the Canadian Armed Forces, who demonstrated the utmost professionalism and expertise throughout the intervention” , said Mr. Mauger.
Captain Neubauer said that usually after the initial evidence-gathering phase is complete, a formal hearing is held to collect additional testimony.
The investigation, he said, will work closely with other national and international bodies, including the US and Canadian Transportation Safety Board as well as maritime investigative authorities in France and the UK. .
Its final report will be presented to the Coast Guard Commander and other international agencies involved in the investigation.
Mr Neubauer did not specify what has been recovered from the seabed so far, but added that the evidence will not be released as it is collected out of respect for the other agencies involved. and for the families of the victims.
He did not provide a timeline for the investigation and said interviews were scheduled with the crew of the Polar Prince.
“Resources are on site and able to recover the debris,” Neubauer said.
The owner of Titan, OceanGate Expeditions, is based in the United States. The submersible was registered in the Bahamas and those killed in the likely implosion were from England, Pakistan, France and the United States.
THE Polar Princeowned by the Miawpukek First Nation in southern Newfoundland, had towed the Titan to the site of titanic about 700 kilometers south of the provincial capital and had helped launch it during its dive last Sunday.
THE Titan lost contact with Polar Prince approximately one hour and 45 minutes after the start of its descent towards the wreckage of the titanicnearly four kilometers below the surface of the sea.
The five passengers and crew were pronounced dead on Thursday shortly after a team guiding a remotely operated vehicle spotted the wreckage of the Titan about 500 meters from the bow of the sunken luxury liner.
Mr Mauger did not disclose the cost of search and rescue when asked by reporters, but he said the coast guard did not charge for such operations and did not assign a cost to them. human life.
“The ocean remains an unforgiving environment and every weekend risks are taken when people go into the water with inadequate safety equipment, with inadequate training or in boats while intoxicated,” Mr. Mauger. But we always answer the call. »