The final words from the five-person crew aboard the Titan submersible were “all good here,” just moments before the vessel imploded during its descent toward the wreck of the Titanic, a recent hearing has disclosed.
US Coast Guard investigators revealed this was among the last communications between the Titan and its support ship before contact was permanently lost. The hearing also showcased a first look at an image captured by a remotely operated vehicle, showing the Titan’s tail cone resting on the ocean floor after the catastrophic event.
Less than two hours into its descent in June 2023, the deep-sea vessel tragically imploded. Coast Guard officials initiated a two-week investigation that began on Monday, focusing on the details surrounding the incident and aiming to provide recommendations to avoid similar disasters in the future.
Investigators shared a recreation of the Titan’s journey, detailing text communications between the submersible and the support vessel. The dive commenced at 09:17 local time, with support staff inquiring about the vessel’s depth and weight while checking whether it could still see the ship on its onboard display. Communication was intermittent, but approximately one hour into the dive, the Titan reported “all good here.” Its last message, sent at 10:47 local time from a depth of 3,346 meters, indicated that it had released two weights before silence ensued.
Officials noted that the Titan’s hull had never undergone third-party testing and had been exposed to weather and environmental conditions while stored. They also reported serious issues the submersible faced in previous expeditions; during 13 dives to the Titanic in 2021 and 2022, the Titan experienced 118 equipment malfunctions, including incidents where the front dome detached during recovery, thruster failures at depths of 3,500 meters, and batteries that died, trapping passengers for 27 hours.
Concerns have been raised regarding the design choices, safety records, and regulatory compliance of the company behind the Titan. Former engineering director Tony Nissen described the evidence he had seen as “disturbing” and criticized the decision-making process led by the company’s late CEO, who he claimed was overly assertive in engineering decisions, leading to conflicts within the team.
In the aftermath, all exploration and commercial operations of the company have been halted. Currently without full-time staff, the company will have legal representation during the inquiry.
As the first public phase of the investigation commenced, questions about the safety protocols and regulations governing private undersea exploration have intensified. The Coast Guard’s Marine Board of Investigations (MBI) is expected to hear testimonies from around 10 former employees and marine safety experts.
The MBI conducts a limited number of in-depth inquiries into marine casualties annually. The board aims to uncover the root causes of the tragedy and develop recommendations to prevent future incidents. The investigation’s outcome could lead to civil penalties or referrals for criminal prosecution.
Following the disconnection from the Polar Prince on June 18, 2023, an extensive search mission involving four governments was launched. Onboard were notable individuals such as British explorer Hamish Harding, veteran French diver Paul Henri Nargeolet, businessman Shahzada Dawood, and his son Suleman, all of whom unfortunately lost their lives in the incident.
