US ends legal fight against Titanic expedition. Battles over future dives are still possible

Associated Press

NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — The U.S. government has officially ended its legal fight against an upcoming dive to the Titanic shipwreck. That’s because the expedition will no longer enter the ship’s hull or take artifacts from the site. The U.S. has said doing so would violate a federal law that treats the wreck as a memorial. The Georgia-based company RMS Titanic Inc. owns the Titanic’s salvage rights. It displays artifacts recovered from previous expeditions. The firm significantly scaled back its dive plans this year. Uncrewed submersibles will only take images of the wreck and debris field. The mission is scheduled for mid-July.