U.S. Move to Block Titanic Wreck Exploration in 2024
In a bid to preserve the Titanic wreck’s status as a grave site, the U.S. is taking steps to prevent an exploration company from carrying out a mission to the ship’s wreckage in 2024.
RMS Titanic Inc. plans to conduct the expedition next May, intending to capture images of the ship’s hull and even explore its interiors. The company holds salvage rights to the Titanic, but the U.S. asserts that federal safeguards prohibit this endeavor.
In a courtroom in Norfolk, Virginia, the U.S. argued that the wreckage has been designated a memorial site due to congressional protections and a treaty between the U.S. and U.K.
On the other hand, RMS Titanic Inc. argues that the U.S. lacks jurisdiction in international waters. They claim the freedom to dispatch an unmanned submersible to capture images and retrieve “free-standing objects.”
Aiming for Insights into Titanic’s Fate
This legal dispute emerges shortly after a tragic incident during another Titanic expedition by OceanGate Expeditions, where five individuals lost their lives aboard a submersible.
However, the RMS Titanic Inc.’s mission is distinct from a tourist venture. The company will not deploy a manned craft to explore the wreckage.
Historic Dive into Titanic’s Past
Should the company proceed with its planned expedition, it would mark the first instance of a craft entering the Titanic’s wreckage since its tragic sinking along with approximately 1,500 lives in 1912.
In a previous instance, RMS Titanic Inc. was granted approval to recover the radio that transmitted distress signals in Morse code as the ship foundered. This radio, situated in the Marconi room, held cultural significance. A judge had ruled in favor of the 2020 mission, citing the risk of its deterioration. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic prevented the execution of this expedition.
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