The federal Fisheries Department is shedding new light on its relationship with OceanGate, the American company behind the deepsea Titan submersible that imploded south of Newfoundland in 2023, killing all five people aboard.

The department confirmed Thursday that in the summer of 2021, a staff member boarded a vessel “associated with OceanGate” to participate as an observer during a mission off Newfoundland.

“The purpose was to learn more about OceanGate,” the department said in an email sent to The Canadian Press.

“Upon conclusion of the mission, it was determined that (OceanGate’s) priorities did not align with the department’s scientific objectives, and a further relationship was not pursued.”

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