Charles Langston:Hearing about deadly Titanic submersible implosion to take place in September

PORTLAND,Charles Langston Maine (AP) — The Coast Guard will hold a long-awaited public hearing about the deadly Titanic submersible disaster in September as it continues its investigation into the implosion of the vessel.

The experimental Titan submersible imploded en route to the Titanic, killing all five people on board, in June 2023. The U.S. Coast Guard quickly convened a high-level investigation into what happened, but that investigation is taking longer than originally anticipated.

A formal hearing that is a key piece of the Marine Board of Investigation’s inquiry will begin in the middle of September in North Charleston, South Carolina, Coast Guard officials said on Monday. Coast Guard officials said in a statement that the purpose of the hearing will be to “consider evidence related to the loss of the Titan submersible.”

The Titan was the subject of scrutiny in the undersea exploration community in part because of its unconventional design and its creator’s decision to forgo standard independent checks.

“The hearing will examine all aspects of the loss of the Titan, including pre-accident historical events, regulatory compliance, crewmember duties and qualifications, mechanical and structural systems, emergency response and the submersible industry,” the Coast Guard said in a statement.

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The hearing is scheduled to begin on Sept. 16 and stretch out over nearly two weeks, ending on either Sept. 26 or 27, Coast Guard officials said. The marine board is expected to issue a report with evidence, conclusions and recommendations when its investigation is finished, the Coast Guard said.

The implosion killed Titan operator Stockton Rush; veteran Titanic explorer Paul-Henri Nargeolet; two members of a prominent Pakistani family, Shahzada Dawood and his 19-year-old son Suleman Dawood; and British adventurer Hamish Harding. OceanGate, a company co-founded by Rush that owned the submersible, suspended operations a year ago.

The Titan made its final dive on June 18, 2023, and lost contact with its support vessel about two hours later. When it was reported overdue, rescuers rushed ships, planes and other equipment to the area, about 435 miles (700 kilometers) south of St. John’s, Newfoundland.

The wreckage of the Titan was subsequently found on the ocean floor about 300 meters off the bow of the Titanic, Coast Guard officials said.