The Tribune

Editor's Note: An earlier version of this story reported that OceanGate’s submersible, Titan, is registered in The Bahamas. This was incorrect. The Bahamas Maritime Authority has clarified that OceanGate Expeditions Ltd is registered in The Bahamas as a company only. The authority told The Tribune: “Its submersible Titan and its support vessel, associated with the recent tragedy, are not registered under The Bahamas Flag and are, therefore, beyond the jurisdiction and purview of the design, construction and operational regulatory standards which would be applicable to Bahamian flagged vessels.”

By LETRE SWEETING

Tribune Staff Reporter

lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

The company that owned the doomed submersible carrying five passengers to the wreckage of the Titanic was registered in The Bahamas.

Fragments of the submersible were found on the seabed near the Titanic wreck, with experts saying the debris was consistent with a “catastrophic implosion of the vehicle” that killed those on board.

A liability waiver the passengers signed noted that all disputes would be subject to Bahamian court proceedings. “I, ------, acknowledge that I have voluntarily applied to participate in a submersible operation arranged by OceanGate Expeditions, Ltd, a company registered in The Bahamas,” the waiver says.

The first page of the waiver mentions the word death four times.

 “Any disputes related to or arising from either the operation or this release shall be governed by the laws of The Bahamas. Any dispute arising from either the operation or the release shall be resolved in the courts of The Bahamas,” the waiver said.

 According to international reports, the investigation into the incident could be complicated by the fact that it happened in international waters.

 Officials are also grappling with who will determine how the tragedy unfolded.

 Yesterday, the Star-Advertiser, a Hawaii-based newspaper, reported: “It was not entirely clear who would have the authority to lead what is sure to be a complex investigation involving several countries. OceanGate Expeditions, the company that owned and operated the Titan, is based in the US but the submersible was registered in The Bahamas. OceanGate is based in Everett, Washington, but closed when the Titan was found. Meanwhile, the Titan’s mother ship, the Polar Prince, was from Canada, and those killed were from England, Pakistan, France, and the US.”