Titan Submersible Operated in Canada Without Regulatory Oversight Before 2023 Implosion

The Titan submersible operated in Canadian waters for two years without regulatory oversight from any federal agency, according to the Transportation Safety Board. The board concluded that information about the vessel existed across multiple departments but no single agency connected the details.

OceanGate first contacted Canadian officials while the Titan was still under construction in Everett, Washington.

In May 2021, Fisheries and Oceans Canada planned to pay the company $25,000 to support deep-sea research during planned Titanic missions the following year. Global Affairs Canada later denied a research permit after OceanGate incorrectly stated that Fisheries and Oceans Canada would serve as its sponsor.

The Titan’s first attempt to reach the Titanic occurred the next month and ended when one of its titanium domes detached.

The support vessel Horizon Arctic returned to St. John’s, where Border Security Agency officers directed it to a secure area before passengers could leave. Armed agents boarded the ship and questioned passengers about Covid-19 measures and their involvement in the dives.

Passenger Gary Philbrick described the officers as extremely intimidating and said he could not leave the ship fast enough. The agents also asked why OceanGate lacked a research permit. David Concannon, a lawyer who had previously worked with the company, told them the Titan would dive only in international waters.

Concannon later said the agents showed zero interest in the submersible itself and focused solely on paperwork. Transport Canada determined the Titan formed part of the Horizon Arctic’s cargo and therefore fell outside inspection requirements for passenger vessels.