U.S. Government Withdraws Litigation Against Titanic Salvage Company
NORFOLK, Va. – The U.S. government has officially ended its legal pursuit against the company holding salvage rights to the Titanic, acknowledging that the firm has no current plans for expeditions to the historic shipwreck that could breach federal regulations.
While this development marks a pause in legal conflicts, it does not conclusively shut the door on future endeavors by RMS Titanic Inc., which has expressed ongoing interest in potential expeditions despite recent setbacks. The company is currently analyzing the implications and possibilities for future explorations.
On Friday, the U.S. withdrew its motion to intervene in a federal admiralty court in Virginia, which specifically handles salvage issues connected to the Titanic. This decision concluded the latest phase of a legal struggle that has spanned five years.
The latest legal action was initiated in 2023 as RMS Titanic Inc. planned to capture images within the ship’s hull and recover artifacts from the debris field surrounding the wreck. The government contended that such actions would violate a 2017 federal law and a related agreement with Great Britain, viewing the site as a memorial to the more than 1,500 individuals who perished in the 1912 disaster.
Following the tragic implosion of the Titan submersible in 2023, which led to the loss of several lives, including the director of underwater research for RMS Titanic Inc., the firm modified its expedition plans to primarily focus on external imaging of the wreck.
After these adjustments were made, the U.S. halted its efforts to obstruct the expedition, which successfully provided detailed imagery of the site in September. Nevertheless, the U.S. government previously indicated that it intended to reserve the right to contest any subsequent expeditions.
RMS Titanic Inc. informed the court in December that it would not be visiting the wreck in 2025 and had yet to finalize plans for future operations, emphasizing its commitment to thoroughly evaluating the strategic, legal, and financial aspects of any potential salvage activities.
In light of these developments, the U.S. opted to withdraw its intervention motion. The government also stated it would re-evaluate its position and could intervene again if future circumstances arise.
RMS Titanic Inc. has held court-sanctioned control over the Titanic’s artifacts since obtaining salvage rights in 1994, having recovered and preserved thousands of items over the years. However, its last significant retrieval of artifacts occurred in 2010, prior to the enforcement of the federal law and international agreement.
U.S. District Judge Rebecca Beach Smith, overseeing Titanic salvage matters, previously indicated the urgency of action, citing the ship’s rapid deterioration on the seabed. As the Titanic continues to face challenges, the conversation surrounding its preservation and potential future expeditions is bound to persist.
