The US Coast Guard is scheduled to conduct a formal hearing starting Monday, September 16, 2024, in North Charleston, South Carolina, for the Marine Board of Investigation (MBI) to consider evidence related to the loss of the Titan submersible.
The hearing is scheduled to take place at the Charleston County Council Chambers, located at 4045 Bridge View Drive, North Charleston, South Carolina. Due to capacity limitations, members of the public are encouraged to view the hearing via the livestream. Livestream information will be published closer to the convening date.
The formal hearing is scheduled to convene daily at 08:30 local time on September 16, 17, 19, 20, 23, 24, 25, 26, and 27.
The hearing will examine all aspects of the loss of Titan, including pre-accident historical events, regulatory compliance, crewmember duties and qualifications, mechanical and structural systems, emergency response, and the submersible industry.
The formal hearing was convened by Vice Admiral Peter W. Gautier, deputy commandant for operations.
An MBI is the highest level of investigation in the coast guard. Upon completion of the investigation, the board will issue a report to the Commandant with the evidence collected, the facts established, its conclusions, and recommendations.
Titan was on an expedition to explore the wreck of the ocean liner Titanic when contact was lost one hour and 47 minutes into its dive on June 18, 2023. The coast guard, along with other agencies, international partners and private entities, conducted an extensive search operation.
The wreckage of the submersible was subsequently found on the ocean floor, approximately 300 metres off the bow of Titanic. All five passengers were declared deceased.