The US government is considering ending its legal battle against a planned expedition to the Titanic, which has raised concerns about potentially violating a law that treats the wreck as a gravesite. After the fatal implosion of the Titan submersible last year, plans for the expedition were scaled back, with RMS Titanic Inc. now intending to send an uncrewed submersible to the site in May to take only external images of the ship. This decision comes after the US government filed a legal challenge against the original plans, which included recovering artifacts and entering the wreck, citing a federal law from 2017 and an international pact to preserve the site as a memorial for the more than 1,500 people who perished in the 1912 tragedy.

The director of underwater research for RMS Titanic Inc., Paul-Henri Nargeolet, tragically died in the implosion of the Titan submersible near the shipwreck last year, leading to the company scaling down its plans. US District Judge Rebecca Beach Smith, who presides over matters concerning the Titanic's salvage, has raised serious legal questions about the government's case and whether Congress can strip courts of their admiralty jurisdiction over shipwrecks. The judge also noted the urgency of exploring the Titanic as the wreckage is deteriorating on the ocean floor.

Last year, new images of the Titanic were developed using deep-sea mapping, providing unprecedented views of the shipwreck. The scan, conducted by Magellan Ltd in partnership with Atlantic Productions, revealed a three-dimensional view of the wreckage, showcasing personal possessions and artifacts surrounding the ship. CEO of Atlantic Productions, Anthony Geffen, expressed the importance of capturing the details of the Titanic to uncover personal stories and understand how the ship sank. The upcoming expedition, if approved, could shed further light on the historical and personal significance of the Titanic disaster.