Titan submersible support ship Polar Prince returns to port, with flags at half-mast

Polar Prince, the support ship of the Titan submersible, that met a tragic fatewhile on an expedition to the Titanic wreck, has returned and been docked in St John's, Newfoundland on Saturday. The flags on the ship were flown at half-mast as a mark of respect for the lives lost in the unfortunate turn of events.

Canadian investigators have taken steps to unravel the circumstances leading to the catastrophic implosion of the Titan submersible by boarding the support ship involved in the launch.

Another boat was observed towing the Titan's launch platform in the harbour. The ill-fated dive to the Titanic wreckage resulted in the Titan collapsing, tragically claiming the lives of all five individuals on board.

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Locals gathered near Battery Lookout's cannon in St John's at 08:00 (11:30 BST) to witness the return of the Polar Prince, and as some passengers disembarked, investigators, donning hard hats and high-visibility jackets, boarded the vessel.

Serving as the support ship for the Titan, the Polar Prince had previously towed the submersible to the North Atlantic location where the dive took place, approximately 400 miles away from St John's.

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Among those aboard were members of the support team and some family members of the victims. The ship also played a role in the search operation following the loss of contact with the Titan during its dive.

On Thursday, parts of the submersible were discovered on the ocean floor, located around 1,600 feet (487 metre) from the bow of the Titanic wreck.

In response, Canada announced the launch of a safety investigation on Friday, and it remains uncertain which country will lead the investigation, although other government agencies may participate.

In addition to scrutinising the Polar Prince's involvement, experts anticipate that the investigation will examine the materials used in constructing the submersible's outer walls.

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Concerns about safety practices at OceanGate, the company that owned the Titan, have been raised by industry experts since news of the fatal accident emerged.

CEO of OceanGate, Stockton Rush, who was on board during the incident, had earlier dismissed safety concerns from one expert as "baseless cries" before being killed. This is according to emails obtained by the BBC. Deep-sea exploration expert Rob McCallum said the CEO expressed frustration towards industry players who employ safety concerns to impede innovation.The Titan also carried Shahzada and Suleman Dawood, Hamish Harding, and Paul-Henry Nargeolet as passengers.

The Titan submersible encountered communication failure approximately one hour and 45 minutes into its planned two-hour descent to the wreckage. The vessel was reported missing eight hours after the loss of contact.

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