Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Top News
Top News

RMST Delays Titanic Salvage Plans Amid Legal Disputes

The Titanic leaves Southampton, England, April 10, 1912, on her maiden voyage. (AP Photo, File)

NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — RMS Titanic Inc., the company holding the salvage rights to the Titanic, has indicated that it has not yet finalized plans for further retrieval of artifacts from the iconic shipwreck. This announcement comes as a potential resolution to an ongoing legal dispute with the U.S. government.

The Georgia-based company, recognized as the steward of Titanic artifacts since 1994, has recovered numerous items from the wreck over the years, ranging from silverware to a piece of the ship's hull. These artifacts have been showcased in exhibits viewed by millions of people.

Concerns have been raised by the U.S. government regarding potential violations of a 2017 federal law and an agreement with Great Britain, both of which designate the Titanic site as a memorial to the 1,500 individuals who perished in the 1912 tragedy.

RMST's last salvage expedition took place in 2010, predating the aforementioned legal restrictions. However, recent plans submitted by the company for additional salvage operations have sparked controversy.

The company has previously contested U.S. efforts to impede its salvage rights, arguing that the admiralty court holds jurisdiction over the matter. Legal disputes have intensified as the deteriorating wreck faces increasing threats.

Tragedy struck last year with the loss of five lives, including RMST's director of underwater research, during the implosion of the Titan submersible. Following this incident, RMST revised its dive plans to focus solely on external imaging.

Despite the U.S. government's challenge to RMST's activities, the company has expressed the need for more time to evaluate future salvage operations. U.S. District Judge Rebecca Beach Smith has acknowledged the complexity of the legal issues at hand, questioning the extent to which Congress can regulate access to the Titanic wreck.

In light of the uncertainties surrounding future salvage efforts, RMST has postponed plans to retrieve and exhibit the Titanic's distress call radio, initially approved in 2020. The legal battle over this expedition was put on hold due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.