The Titan submersible, operated by OceanGate Expeditions to explore the wreckage of the sunken SS Titanic off the coast of Newfoundland, dives in an undated photograph. OceanGate Expeditions/Handout via REUTERS
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) has launched a formal investigation into the loss of the Titan submersible with five people on board.
A team of TSB investigators is currently en-route to St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, to gather information, conduct interviews, and assess the incident.
The 21-foot submersible, privately operated by U.S.-based OceanGate Expeditions, was launched from the Canadian-flagged vessel Polar Prince on its fatal dive to the wreck of the RMS Titanic last Sunday.
Approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes into its dive, crews on board support vessel lost contact with the sub, triggering a multi-national search and rescue operation led by the U.S. Coast Guard.
The Coast Guard on Thursday confirmed that the sub sustained a catastrophic loss of pressure following an analysis of debris located on the ocean floor approximately 1,600 feet from the bow of the Titanic on Thursday.
The TSB reports there were 17 crew members and 24 people on board the Polar Prince at the time of the incident.
As the investigation authority of the flag state of the support vessel involved, the TSB will look into the circumstances of the operation and conduct its investigation in accordance with the Canadian Transportation Accident Investigation and Safety Board Act and international agreements.
“In the coming days, we will coordinate our activities with other agencies involved,” the TSB said.
Following the field analysis, the TSB will conduct an examination and analysis of evidence and prepare a report.
The Polar Prince is owned by St John’s-based Horizon Maritime Services. The ship entered service in 1959 with Canada’s Department of Transport Marine Service and was later transferred to the Canadian Coast Guard in 1962 as the CCGS Sir Humphrey Gilbert, operating as light icebreaker and buoy tender. It was taken out of service in 1986 and has since been rebuilt for operating in Arctic environments.
Horizon Maritime Services provides support to OceanGate Expeditions for its passenger trips to the RMS Titanic. OceanGate led previous expeditions to the Titanic in 2021 and 2022. OceanGates’ founder and CEO, Stockton Rush, was among the five people killed in the accident.
Join the gCaptain Club for curated content, insider opinions, and vibrant community discussions.
Join the 110,190 members that receive our newsletter.
Have a news tip? Let us know.
Four crew members of the Netherlands-flagged dredger Vox Maxima are facing charges for their alleged role in causing Singapore’s worst oil spill in a decade. The incident, which occurred on...
The U.S. Coast Guard Station Mayport responded to a dredger fire on Saturday afternoon. The fire was reported in the engine room of the Stuyvesant, a 340-foot dredger, near the...
A China-registered heavy-lift vessel that had previously involved in an accident at Taiwan’s Keelung Port just two weeks ago, has now run aground along the coast of Taiwan after battling...
Access exclusive insights, engage in vibrant discussions, and gain perspectives from our CEO.
Sign Up
Maritime and offshore news trusted by our 110,190 members delivered daily straight to your inbox.
Essential news coupled with the finest maritime content sourced from across the globe.
Sign Up
Join The Club
