The U.S. government has ceased its legal opposition to RMST’s planned expedition. RMST, which owns the Titanic’s salvage rights, faced a legal challenge from the U.S. government in 2023. The government petitioned against RMST’s plan to retrieve artefacts from the Titanic wreckage.

In the 1912 Titanic disaster, over 1,500 lives were lost when the White Star Line ship struck an iceberg in the North Atlantic. A 2017 U.S. federal law and an agreement with Britain designated the Titanic wreck as a grave site.

On June 27, 2024, the U.S. government announced it would end the legal dispute, following RMST’s revised dive plans.

These revised plans were disclosed after the death of RMST’s director, Paul-Henri Nargeolet, in the Titan OceanGate submersible implosion near the Titanic wreck in June 2023. Nargeolet had been slated to lead the 2024 expedition.

In February, RMST revealed the scaled-back dive plan, which includes sending an uncrewed submersible to take external images of the Titanic. “The company will not come into contact with the wreck,” RMST stated, adding that there would be no artefact recovery or penetration imaging.

RMST’s original plans involved imaging the interior of the Titanic and retrieving artefacts, including items from the radio room.

While the U.S. government has ended the current legal battle, it has indicated that future legal action is possible if RMST’s plans change. The government remains concerned that RMST’s longer-term goals may include retrieving objects from the Titanic.

RMST has managed Titanic artefacts since 1994, with its last expedition occurring in 2010 before the 2017 law took effect. The company has recovered thousands of artefacts, including silverware and a piece of the ship’s hull.