Titan submersible incident: How much will US Coast Guard charge for the search-and-rescue efforts?

Since the unfortunate implosion of Titan submersible which claimed the lives of five persons onboard, one question that is doing the rounds on the internet is "Will the company owning the vessel be made to bear the costs of the rescue efforts by the US coastguard?".

While the search and rescue efforts has been estimated to cost millions, on Sunday, a top official has been quoted by Business Insider as saying that the US Coast Guard will not "associate a cost with human life." Rear Admiral John Mauger spoke to media on the matter and highlighted that Coast Guard won't charge anything.

"As a matter of US law and Coast Guard policy, the Coast Guard doesn't charge for search and rescue. We always answer the call," said Mauger.

He also noted that the Coast Guard even rescues people who put their own lives at risk, sometimes deliberately as a result of inadequate safety gear, bad training, or even while intoxicated.

"The ocean remains an unforgiving environment, and every weekend there are risks…But we still answer the call. We conduct disciplined operations with warranted risk to put our resources and our lives at risk to save others. That's who we are," said Mauger.

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As per reports, OceanGate which owned the Titan submersible charged its passengers $250,000 each for the adventure exploration of Titanic wreck. Some taxpayers and netizens have demanded that Oceangate be made accountable for the charges incurred during search and rescue mission as the company has been accused of not following adequate safety measures while operating the vehicle.

The Titan submersible went missing on June 18 and search-and-rescue efforts were launched involving the US, Canada, France, and the United Kingdom. The teams deployed sonar buoys to detect underwater noise up to 13,000 feet deep, sent multiple aircrafts to the scene and used a remotely operated vehicle to search Titan underwater. Wreckage of Titan was found approximately 1,600ft (480m) from the bow of the Titanic wreck.

Meanwhile, there are negligible chances of recovering the dead bodies. British billionaire businessman Hamish Harding, British father and son Shahzada and Suleman Dawood who had roots in Pakistan as one of its richest families, OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush and former French navy diver Paul-Henry Nargeolet were the five persons who died as crew of the Titan submersible.

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