Speaking at a press conference in Boston, the head of the USCG's investigation unit and the head of the investigation team, Captain Jason Neubauer, emphasized that the force has established a Marine Investigation Board (MBI) to determine the cause of the tragedy. This is the highest level of investigation of the USCG. The MBI is cooperating with the Canadian government to collect evidence at the port of St. John's in the Canadian province of Newfoundland after authorities salvaged debris at the site of the tragedy.

The Titan submersible is owned by Ocean Gate Private Company - a company specializing in operating and providing ocean exploration services. Photo: THX/TTXVN

Captain Neubauer added that the investigation involved close coordination between domestic and international authorities, including the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, the Canadian Transport Safety Board, the French Marine Casualty Investigation Commission and the U.K. Marine Accident Investigation Branch.

In addition, Captain Neubauer stressed that the main goal is to prevent similar tragedies from happening again by making necessary recommendations to enhance maritime safety globally. He added that the authorities can recommend the possibility of civil or criminal prosecution if necessary.

The Titan submersible lost contact on June 18, nearly two hours after it left the Canadian-flagged cargo ship Polar Prince and began its exploration of the Titanic wreck. On June 22, the USCG confirmed that the Titan had been crushed and exploded at the bottom of the sea, killing five people on board. Debris was found 488 meters from the bow of the Titanic. According to experts, the ship was crushed by the enormous water pressure at a depth of nearly 4,000 kilometers, killing the victims almost instantly, but it is not yet clear whether this was due to a technical failure of the ship or human error.

On June 24, Canada also announced that it was conducting its own investigation into the tragedy.

VNA