TSB Canada begins Titan sub investigation following Polar Prince return

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) has officially boarded the Polar Prince to interview passengers as part of the Board's investigation of the Titan's implosion.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) has officially commenced interviews of passengers on the Polar Prince following the vessel’s return to St John’s, Newfoundland on Saturday, as part of the Board’s investigation of the implosion of the Titan submersible.

Titan was on an expedition to explore Titanic, and was brought to sea Sunday, June 18 by the Canadian vessel Polar Prince. It suddenly lost communication with the ship an hour and 45 minutes into its descent, kicking off what would be a frantic five-day search for the lost vessel. All hopes for a positive outcome vanished Thursday when the U.S. Coast Guard confirmed it found debris belonging to OceanGate Expedition’s Titan near the famous ocean liner at the bottom of the North Atlantic.

TSB investigators boarded the Polar Prince after returning to port. TSB chair Kathy Fox confirmed in a press conference Saturday that family members of the the five passengers aboard the Titan were on the Polar Prince, along with members of the support team. 41 people were on the ship in total when the expedition first began.

“Anybody can imagine… it’s difficult the circumstances (the passengers) have been under the last few days and we have to understand that that’s going to affect particularly the families who have lost loved ones,” Fox said. “The idea was to do what we need to immediately and then allow people to leave after a long time at sea.”

Fox was not able to share any information from interviews with Polar Prince passengers conducted so far, as the contents are privileged under Canadian law.

According to Fox, a TSB investigation can take between 18 months and two years. She says it’s too early to tell how long this particular investigation will take, but the TSB plans on providing an update in the coming days.

The submersible’s disappearance Sunday set off an international rescue mission that captivated the world’s attention given its link to the Titanic. As well, the five passengers aboard the Titan were reported to have 96 hours of breathable air – an added element that led to the frantic search.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) has also launched an investigation into the events leading up to the tragedy around the Titan. RCMP Supt. Kent Osmond said in a press conference Saturday that any proof of criminal activity in the force’s investigation would determine whether a “full investigation” would be warranted. However, Osmond said there was no suspicion of criminal activity so far.