The Coast Guard’s investigation into the Titan submersible remains “complex and ongoing”

One year after the titanium Submersible went with five men crew on a dive to Titanic The US Coast Guard’s investigation into the shipwreck is taking longer than originally estimated at 12 months.

“The investigation into the implosion of the titanium “The search for a submersible is a complex and ongoing endeavor,” said Jason Neubauer, chairman of the Coast Guard’s Marine Board of Investigation. “We are working closely with our national and international partners to ensure a complete understanding of the incident.”

The implosion on June 18, 2023 killed Stockton Rush, co-founder and CEO of OceanGate, the company that operates the unconventional submersible that has been conducting dives to the shipwreck 435 miles southeast of Newfoundland since 2021.

The titanium lost contact with its supply ship two hours after diving, and US Navy acoustic data showed a signal consistent with an implosion. On June 22, Coast Guard officials announced that a slug had been found on the ground near the Titanic; an end cap of the vehicle’s hull and other debris were later recovered.

“Several factors have extended the 12-month time frame originally intended for the investigation,” Coast Guard officials said in an update. “These include the need to commission two recovery missions to secure critical evidence and the extensive forensic testing required, which have resulted in necessary delays.”

“The MBI continues to cooperate with multiple investigative agencies that have concurrent jurisdiction or a significant interest in the marine casualty.”

Chairman Jason Neubauer is a retired Coast Guard officer and longtime investigative expert, most notably serving as chairman of the Coast Guard panel that investigated the sinking of the U.S.-flagged cargo ship in 2015. The lighthouseNeubauer, formerly chief of the Coast Guard’s Office of Investigations and Analysis, continues to work as a civilian in the investigative program.

“We are grateful for the international and interagency cooperation that was critical to the recovery, preservation and forensic examination of evidence from a remote offshore region and extreme depth,” said Neubauer. “The MBI is committed to ensuring we fully understand the factors that led to this tragedy in order to prevent similar incidents in the future.”

The MBI currently intends to hold a public hearing by the end of the year, with further details to be announced at least 60 days in advance.

Current information on the investigation can be found online on the Titan Submersible Marine Board of Investigation website at www.news.uscg.mil/News-by-Region/Headquarters/TITAN-submersible.