Titanic Submersible’s Voice Recordings, Data to be Probed if Case Warrants Criminal Investigation

International

oi-Madhuri Adnal

Officials investigating the Titan submersible will reportedly examine voice recordings and other data from its mothership Polar Prince to determine what happened during the voyage. They will also try to determine if the incident occurred criminally. The incident occurred on June 18 when the submersible lost contact with the support ship Polar Prince approximately one hour and 45 minutes into its descent.

Investigators with the Transportation Safety Board of Canada visited the Polar Prince on Saturday, June 24, “to collect information from the vessel’s voyage data recorder and other vessel systems that contain useful information,” TSB Chairwoman Kathy Fox told CNN. He said that the purpose of the investigation is not to assign blame but rather to gather evidence, including voice recordings, which could prove useful in the inquiry.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police Superintendent Kent Osmond stated that authorities are assessing whether a criminal investigation is necessary. “Such an investigation will proceed only if our examination of the circumstances indicate criminal, federal or provincial laws may possibly have been broken,” he said, according to New York Post.

The Titan submersible, weighing 23,000 pounds and constructed from carbon fiber and titanium, featured a real-time hull health monitoring system. This system alerted the pilot in case of any detected issues, allowing for a safe return to the surface.

US Navy Had Detected Implosion of Titan Submersible Shortly After Disappearance

Tragically, all passengers aboard the submersible lost their lives in a catastrophic implosion, resulting in the sudden collapse of the vessel underwater. The deceased individuals include OceanGate Expeditions CEO Stockton Rush, British billionaire Hamish Harding, French diver Paul Henry Nargeolet, and Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his son, Suleman.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada, alongside the National Transportation Safety Board, has initiated investigations into the Titan incident. It has also said that the US Coast Guard will lead the investigation into the incident.

Story first published: Monday, June 26, 2023, 17:22 [IST]