Voice recordings under scrutiny in Titanic sub implosion investigation
Voice recordings between the Titan and its mothership Polar Prince will be reviewed by investigators
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Voice recordings and other data will be reviewed as part of a US Coast Guard-appointed expert board’s probe into the catastrophic implosion of the Titan submersible last week.
American and Canadian marine authorities have announced investigations into the circumstances that led to the vessel’s malfunction after its chambers were found in a sea of debris 1,600ft from the wreck of the Titanic.
US Coast Guard Captain Jason Neubauer, who is chairing the investigation, said during a press conference on Sunday that he has summoned a Marine Board of Investigation, the highest level of investigation conducted by the Coast Guard. The board’s role is to determine the cause of the tragedy in order to pursue civil or criminal sanctions as necessary.
Voice recordings between the Titan and its mothership Polar Prince will be reviewed by investigators. The mothership’s crew is also being interviewed by different agencies.
Investigators with the Coast Guard have mapped the accident site and salvage operations are expected to continue, Cpt Jason Neubauer said. Once the investigation is wrapped — a timeline has not been laid out — a report with evidence, conclusions and recommendations will be released.
“I’m not getting into the details of the recovery operations but we are taking all precautions on site if we are to encounter any human remains,” Cpt Neubauer told reporters. “At this time a priority of the investigation is to recover items from the sea floor.”
Coast Guard investigators are working along with the US National Transportation Safety Board, as well as the Transportation Safety Board of Canada, the French Marine Casualties Investigation Board and the UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch.
The Transportation Safety Board (TSB) boarded the Polar Prince over the weekend to conduct interviews after the vessel returned to its port in St John’s in Newfoundland with its flags at half-mast. The TSB said the of investigators had been deployed to St John’s to “gather information, conduct interviews and assess the occurrence”.
The TSB’s chair, Kathy Fox, said that the crew was interviewed to “collect information from the vessel’s voyage data recorder and other vessel systems that contain useful information,” according to CNN.
Meanwhile, the Canadian Coast Guard said one of its vessels would remain on the scene and would “provide assistance and support to the recovery and salvage operations as requested by Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre Boston”.
Several safety concerns about the Titan have emerged in the aftermath of the tragedy. A lawsuit filed by a former OceanGate employee in 2018 and obtained by The New Republic listed “visible flaws” with the vessel that were reportedly ignored by senior management.
Submarine experts had also signed a letter expressing “unanimous concern” with the company’s decision not to seek outside evaluation and testing before bringing passengers down to the Titanic. The Independent has contacted OceanGate for comment on the allegations.
A 2019 post on OceanGate’s website stated that the Titan was not classed by major marine operations because those certifications “do not ensure that operators adhere to proper operating procedures and decision-making processes – two areas that are much more important for mitigating risks at sea,” according to CNN.
The company has not publicly addressed those allegations but it issued a statement mourning the deaths of the five passengers.
On board the watercraft were OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, British billionaire Hamish Harding, French diver Paul-Henri Nargeolet, Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his teenage son Suleman Dawood.
“These men were true explorers who shared a distinct spirit of adventure, and a deep passion for exploring and protecting the world’s oceans,” the release read.
“Our hearts are with these five souls and every member of their families during this tragic time. We grieve the loss of life and joy they brought to everyone they knew.”
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments