Summary

  • The US Coast Guard inquiry into the Titan sub disaster is entering its final days, with an expert from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the CEO of a Titan parts supplier and a marine engineer testifying on Wednesday

  • The NTSB's Don Kramer has outlined the structural problems with the vessel, including the potential consequences on subsequent dives from a loud bang heard during a 2022 mission

  • Titan, operated by OceanGate, imploded less than two hours into its descent during a dive to the wreckage of the Titanic in July 2023, killing all five people on board

  • The accident led to questions over the submersible's safety and design, and the materials used in its construction

  • Last week a transcript from a key meeting at OceanGate revealed the CEO said in 2018: “No-one is dying under my watch - period"

Live Reporting

Edited by Caitlin Wilson

  1. A timeline of the wreck

    From the moment the news emerged that contact had been lost with the submersible vessel carrying several high-profile passengers, the story gripped public attention until the first debris were found days later. Here’s a look at how it all unfolded.

    • On Friday, 16 June, the Titan’s mothership Polar Prince set sail from St John’s in Canada
    • On 18 June at 08:00 local time, the submersible descends into the ocean with five passengers on board
    • The same day at 09:45 local time, communications between the sub and Polar Prince are lost
    • Shortly after, the Navy detected possible implosion sounds
    • At 15:00 on 18 June, the submersible does not return to the surface as expected
    • On Monday 19 June, search efforts by the US and Canada continue
    • On Thursday 22 June, the Coast Guard announces it found debris of the vessel near the Titanic wreck
    Titan subBB

  2. What went wrong?

    Caitlin Wilson
    Reporting from the convention

    Hello and welcome to our coverage of the final week of the inquiry into what happened around the Titan sub disaster last June.

    The US Coast Guard inquiry is set to hear today from Don Kramer, an engineer from the National Transportation Safety Board.

    He is expected to talk about exactly what went wrong when the submersible imploded on its way to the ocean floor to view the wreck of the Titanic, killing all five people on board.

    Kramer's appearance comes after days of testimony from former OceanGate employees, competitors, former Titan passengers and experts.

    You can catch up on what we've already learned from the hearing below:

    Boss of Titan sub firm said: 'No-one is dying under my watch'

    'All good here': Titan sub's last messages before implosion

    New Titan footage shows wreckage of destroyed hull on sea floor

    Crew's final words and new footage of wreck: Key takeaways from Titan sub hearings

    Stick with us as we bring you today's top lines and analysis, and remember that you can watch the testimony live yourself at the top of this page.