Hearing into deadly Titanic submarine implosion to be held in September

PATRICK WHITTLE, Associated Press

27 minutes ago

FILE – Debris from the Titan submarine, recovered from the ocean floor near the Titanic wreckage, is unloaded from the Horizon Arctic ship at the Canadian Coast Guard pier in St. John’s, Newfoundland, Wednesday, June 28, 2023. The U.S. Coast Guard is holding a long-awaited public hearing on the deadly Titanic submarine disaster in September as the investigation into the ship’s implosion continues. (Paul Daly/The Canadian Press via AP, File)

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — The Coast Guard will hold a long-awaited public hearing in September on the deadly Titanic submarine disaster, as the Coast Guard continues its investigation into the ship’s implosion.

The experimental submarine Titan imploded en route to the Titanic in June 2023, killing all five people aboard. The U.S. Coast Guard quickly launched an investigation into what happened, but the investigation is taking longer than originally expected.

A formal hearing that is a key part of the Navy Board of Investigation’s investigation will begin in mid-September in North Charleston, South Carolina, Coast Guard officials said Monday. Coast Guard officials said in a statement that the purpose of the hearing will be to “consider evidence related to the loss of the Titan submarine.”

The Titan was the subject of criticism in the underwater research community, in part because of its unconventional design and its creator’s decision to forgo standard independent checks.

“The hearing will examine all aspects of the loss of the Titan, including historical events leading up to the accident, regulatory compliance, crewmember duties and qualifications, mechanical and structural systems, emergency response, and the underwater industry,” the Coast Guard said in a statement.

The hearing is scheduled to begin Sept. 16 and last nearly two weeks, ending Sept. 26 or 27, Coast Guard officials said. The Navy board is expected to issue a report with evidence, conclusions and recommendations when the investigation is complete, the Coast Guard said.

The implosion killed Titan operator Stockton Rush; veteran Titanic explorer Paul-Henri Nargeolet; two members of a prominent Pakistani family, Shahzada Dawood and his 19-year-old son Suleman Dawood; and British adventurer Hamish Harding. OceanGate, a company co-founded by Rush that owned the submarine, ceased operations a year ago.

The Titan made its last dive on June 18, 2023, and lost contact with its support ship about two hours later. When it was reported too late, rescuers sent ships, planes and other equipment to the area, about 435 miles (700 kilometers) south of St. John’s, Newfoundland.

The wreckage of the Titan was later found on the seabed about 300 yards from the Titanic’s bow, Coast Guard officials said.