Canadian safety regulators launch probe into Titan submersible implosion

Canadian safety regulators have initiated an investigation into a tragic incident involving a tourist submersible that imploded underwater, resulting in the death of all five individuals on board. The submersible was on a dive to explore the century-old wreckage of the Titanic, highlighting concerns about the lack of regulations governing such expeditions.

The Transportation Safety Board (TSB) of Canada announced on Friday that it would launch a safety investigation into the operation of Titan. This decision was made because the submersible's surface support vessel, the Polar Prince, was a Canadian-flagged ship. A TSB team was dispatched to gather information and conduct interviews in St. John's, Newfoundland, near the accident site, as per Reuters news agency.

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The wreckage of the submersible, named Titan, was discovered on the seabed of the North Atlantic by a remotely operated underwater vehicle deployed by a Canadian search vessel. This find marked the conclusion of a five-day international rescue operation.

According to US Coast Guard Rear Admiral John Mauger, debris from Titan was scattered approximately 1,600 feet (488 meters) away from the bow of the Titanic wreck, at a depth of about 2-1/2 miles (4 km) beneath the surface.

Admiral Mauger stated that the debris indicated a "catastrophic implosion of the vehicle," implying that the 22-foot-long submersible collapsed and was crushed due to the immense hydrostatic pressure at that depth.

Among the deceased wasStockton Rush, the CEO of OceanGate Expeditions, the company operating the submersible. The expedition to the Titanic wreck, which cost $250,000 per person, also included British billionaire and explorer Hamish Harding, Pakistani-born businessman Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman, both British citizens, and French oceanographer Paul-Henri Nargeolet.

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Some said that Stockton Rush was known for being cautious in managing risks, while others have expressed concerns about the certification process of Titan. The submersible's unique design did not undergo certification from industry third parties such as the American Bureau of Shipping, as per some experts. Some have also questioned the use of carbon fiber for the critical pressure hull, and the decision to use non-industry-standard components, including a video game joystick for control.

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OceanGate's lack of certification and safety issues had been previously highlighted in 2018 during a symposium and in a lawsuit brought by the company's former head of marine operations. The disaster marks the first known fatalities in civilian deep-sea exploration in over 60 years, as international waters beyond government regulation allow companies like OceanGate to operate independently.

The US Coast Guard revealed that the exact timing of the incident is yet to be determined, but the proximity of the debris to the Titanic wreck suggests that the disaster occurred near the end of the submersible's descent on Sunday.

Acoustic data analysed by the US Navy detected an anomaly consistent with an implosion or explosion at the location of the submersible when communication was lost. However, the data was inconclusive, and the search and rescue mission continued.

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