Titanic to Be Cut Into For First Time Ever Following Ruling by US Judge

14:07 GMT, 21 May 2020

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Following the ruling, several parties, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, veterans of underwater expeditions and even officials in Ireland - the last country the Titanic visited before it sank - have voiced their opposition to the decision, citing the delicate process of access to the shipwreck.

Sputnik

Judge Rebecca Beach Smith of the US District Court in Norfolk, Virginia has allowed R.M.S. Titanic, an underwater salvage company, to cut into the wreckage of the legendary Titanic.

By this decision, the judge overruled the 2000 court order that prohibited the company from cutting into the ship’s hull to search for diamonds.

In a move to overturn the ruling, the company stated that it wants to recover the Titanic’s telegraph machine, which may be lost forever because of the degradation of the ship. The transmitter may contain some of the secrets about a missed warning message and distress calls sent from the ship, the company continued.

“The Marconi device has significant historical, educational, scientific and cultural value as the device used to make distress calls while the Titanic was sinking. [The company is allowed to ] minimally to cut into the wreck,” the ruling reads.

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Commenting on the decision, the company lawyer, David Concannon, said that R.M.S. Titanic would avoid cutting into the ship and that the ship’s telegraph room could be reached through a skylight that was already open.

At the same time, it's still unknown what the company is planning to do with the telegraph in case it's recovered. Currently, R.M.S. Titanic has disposed of more than 250 artefacts from the sunken ship that are currently being exhibited with an admission charge at the Luxor Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.