Titan submersible implosion: Three challenges ahead in complex investigation

The missing Titan submersible faced a “catastrophic implosion” sometime this week in the Atlantic Ocean after diving off the Canada coast on Sunday.

A day after the United States Coast Guard confirmed of the implosion of the disappeared Titan submersible, in which five passengers have been presumed dead, officials are grappling with the further challenges that lie ahead in the complex investigation of the international disaster. The submersible, operated by private US firm OceanGate Expeditions, had gone to explore 1912 Titanic wreckage but lost contact with the surface after one hour and 45 minutes of its dive off the Canada coast on Sunday.

OceanGate Expeditions' Titan submersible in an undated photograph.(AP)

‘Search for clues about what caused the implosion’

After five days of frantic search operation, carried with the help of resources shared by four nations, rescue teams discovered a debris field near the Titanic wreckage on Thursday evening. The debris found on the seafloor, 1,600 feet (500 meters) from the bow of the Titanic, indicated that the craft would have suffered a “catastrophic implosion" – a rapid breakup of the submersible, which would have happened within milliseconds, as per experts.

The US Coast Guard said Friday that an official inquiry is yet to be launched into the incident as the agencies are looking for clues as to what caused the vessel to fall apart, which will pave the way for the further investigation.

‘Who has jurisdiction over the case’

The second challenge in the inquiry over the disappearance and implosion of the Titan submersible lies in determining who has the appropriate jurisdiction to lead the investigation as the Titan operated in international waters, the US Coast Guard said. The possibilities include the US Coast Guard, Canadian Coast Guard, a joint effort or involvement of other federal or international agencies.

‘Deep-sea voyages are poorly regulated’

The Titan case involves dealing with murky regulations for deep-sea voyages. The Titan was not registered as a US vessel or with international agencies that regulate safety. It was neither classified by maritime industry groups that set standards on design or construction.

Operating company CEO Stockton Rush, who is among the five dead passengers, didn’t want to be “bogged down by such standards”, news agency AP cited his past stance on the issue.

Additionally, the death waiver signed by the onboard passengers, who paid over ₹2 crore for the trip, is another hurdle in lawsuits. Experts said wrongful death and negligence lawsuits make a case in this incident but legal actions include challenges, including the waivers that warned the passengers of the ways they could die.