The US Coast Guard has convened a Marine Board of Investigation (MBI) into last week’s loss of the Titan submersible and the five people on board.
Rear Admiral John Mauger, the First Coast Guard District commander, announced the convening of the board during a June 25th press briefing.
The investigation will be led by Coast Guard Captain Jason Neubauer, who said:
“As a senior investigator, I have witnessed the personal impacts associated with these types of events, and my primary goal is to prevent a similar occurrence by making the necessary recommendations to enhance the safety of the maritime domain worldwide.”
The MBI is currently in its initial evidence collection phase including salvage at the wreck site as well as interviews in St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada, he added.
Neubauer also said he couldn’t give a time line of how long the investigation would last.
OceanGate Expeditions, who owns the submersible, told the media the company was fully cooperating with the investigation.
The MBI is working in close coordination with other national and international authorities including the US National Transportation Safety Board, Canadian Transportation Safety Board, French Marine Casualties Investigation Board and United Kingdom Marine Accident Investigation Branch.
According to the Coast Guard, during the course of the investigation, the board will work to determine:
- “The cause of the casualty, including the cause of any death.
- “Whether an act of misconduct, incompetence, negligence, unskillfulness or willful violation of law committed by any individual licensed, certificated or documented has contributed to the cause of the casualty, or to a death involved in the casualty, so that appropriate remedial action may be taken.
- “Whether an act of misconduct, incompetence, negligence, unskillfulness or willful violation of law committed by any person, including an officer, employee or member of the Coast Guard, contributed to the cause of the casualty, or to a death involved in the casualty.
- “Whether there is evidence that an act subjecting the offender to a civil penalty under that laws of the United States has been committed so that appropriate action may be undertaken to collect a penalty.
- “Whether there is evidence that a criminal act under the laws of the United States has been committed so that the matter may be referred to appropriate authorities for prosecution.
- “Whether there is need for new laws or regulations, or amendment or repeal of existing laws or regulations to prevent the recurrence of the casualty.”
