Under old maritime law, a shipowner defendant could initiate proceedings by choosing, within certain limits, that he would not be liable for anything in the event of an accident.

The law, as interpreted for independence by Fordham Law School Professor Lawrence Brennan, used by Titanic.

If OceanGate chooses to sue under the act, they can “attempt to limit their liability to the ship’s post-accident value, which is zero.”

The giant exploded while on an expedition to see Titanic debris, killing all five passengers on board.

“It is one of those strange things that a nominal defendant can initiate an action. Intellectually, it’s more like bankruptcy proceedings; it’s not procedural, it’s a purely military thing,” Brennan said.

Although the law was amended last year with the Small Passenger Vessel Liability Fairness Act – which OceanGate submersibles are likely to be subject to.

After the tragic incident above giant sinking that killed five people, many are wondering if OceanGate can face lawsuits from the victim’s family or the government.

“Any claimant will proceed, at least in part, under the High Seas Death Act (DOHSA),” said Andrew Porter of Hawaii Maritime Law. independence in an email. “Two aspects of this case that are immediately noticeable are the seaworthiness of the ship and the loss of future income of the deceased.”

Under maritime law, ship owners are obligated to provide a ship that is “seaworthy” for crew and passengers, according to Porter.

He said seaworthiness is roughly defined as “whether a ship is fit for its intended purpose and voyage”.

Mr. Porter declined to comment on specific allegations against OceanGate’s submersible but said that “the crux of any plaintiff’s lawsuit” is the design and testing of the vessel.

However, he mentioned that unlike negligence, “plaintiffs are not required to demonstrate that the owner had prior knowledge of the defect, maintenance, or design failure that led to the problem” when questioning the possibility of a failure. Go on beach.

OceanGate Expeditions CEO Stockton Rush said he was “personally offended” after an industry expert raised concerns about safety flaws in the Titan submersible, which left five crew members died on Sunday.

Former OceanGate adviser Rob McCallum warned Rush he was endangering the lives of passengers and urged him to stop using the ship until it was independently certified, emails obtained by the BBC review shows.

Rush dismissed Mr McCallum’s concerns as “baseless appeals” and accused him of trying to stifle innovation in the deep-water submersible industry, the BBC claimed.

John Nathaniel Paschall, stepson of giant victim Paul-Henri Nargeolet, recalls his stepfather’s respectful and fearless attitude.

Mr Paschall told Sky News on Friday: “He’s such an incredible human being that we could go on talking about his impact on the oceans but for me the impact is mostly felt from the ocean. positive.

Mr Paschall called his stepfather “fearless” and recounted how polite and respectful he was when he entered the family as stepfather.

Mr Paschall said: “These memories will stay with me forever of the warm, welcoming dinners and the long nights talking and sharing stories – it was too dangerous to handle when he was no longer around. and here.

Boris Johnson paid tribute to the “heroes” who died in the Titanic tragedy and lashed out at “leftists” who questioned the Titanic wreck.

Use my second column for Daily mail, Mr Johnson said the crew members died while “crossing the frontiers of human knowledge and experience” – saying it made him “proud”.

The son of a Pakistani businessman who is now believed to have died along with his father after their cruise ship Titanic exploded was terrified of the expedition, his aunt has revealed.

In an interview published before the tragic developments were announced, Dawood’s sister Azmeh Dawood told NBC News that her grandson was absolutely terrified and only agreed to join the expedition because it was important to his “Titanic-obsessed” father. Suleman is said to have told family members he was nervous about the tour and “not very ready.”

The trip was over Father’s Day weekend and he was keen to please his father, she added.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the Biden administration’s heart goes out to the families of the victims who perished in the massacre. giant sinking incident last week during the White House press conference on Friday.

“They have been through a tragic ordeal over the past few days and we are remembering and praying for them,” said Jean-Pierre.

She went on to thank the authorities for their assistance in the search and rescue mission.

“We also want to thank the US Coast Guard, our Canadian, British and French partners, and everyone who has been involved in the search and rescue effort over the past few days.”

“This whole effort is a testament to the skill and professionalism that the men and women who serve our country continue to display, continue to demonstrate every day,” she added.

Search for giantThe submersible went missing last week during the expedition to Titanic shipwreck, which involved rescue teams from the US Navy, the Canadian Coast Guard, and the US, who brought with them an entourage of search aircraft, remote control vehicles (ROV), submarines, deep-sea winches and undersea covert listening devices.

According to Chris Boyer, executive director of the National Search and Rescue Association, a nonprofit organization, the rescue could cost taxpayers millions of dollars. It is unlikely that OceanGate, the company that built giantwill pay for the effort,” said Mr. Boyer America todayargues that no one should be prevented from seeking emergency aid because of worries about costs.