Robot Looking for Debris from 'Titan' on Ocean Floor amid Investigation into Implosion

Investigators are also tasked with determining if any laws were broken, and if further action should be taken, according to the Coast Guard

Investigators are gathering evidence as they assess the circumstances surrounding the deaths of five individuals who were aboard the Titan submersible when it imploded.

The United States Coast Guard announced Sunday that a Marine Board of Investigation (MBI) has convened to investigate “the loss of the Titan submersible and the five people on board.”

The evidence-gathering phase of the investigation is currently underway as crews prioritize recovering items from the incident site, MBI Chairman and Coast Guard Captain Jason D. Neubauer told reporters at a press conference in Boston on Sunday.

The Odysseus 6K — a remotely-operated vehicle owned by the Cape Cod-based company Pelagic Research Services — is collecting evidence from the seafloor, where pieces of the Titan sub were found on Thursday, according to CNN and FOX affiliate WFXT.

Related: OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush Once Said He’d ‘Broken Some Rules’ in Building ‘Titan’ Sub

Officials have not offered an estimate for what it cost to conduct the four-day search — which one official said covered an area twice the size of Connecticut.

However, during Sunday's press conference, Coast Guard Rear Admiral John Mauger said that the Coast Guard "doesn't charge for search and rescue, nor do we associate a cost with human life."

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Five people were aboard the OceanGate sub when it imploded during its journey to the Titanic on Father’s Day. On Thursday, authorities told reporters that a debris field was found near the original Titanic wreckage.

OceanGate was charging $250,000 per passenger to dive down and view the Titanic, per multiple reports.

Officials said the investigation is still in its early stages. Interviews with individuals connected to the incident have already begun.

Crew members from the Polar Prince, the Canadian research vessel which Titan launched from, are among those being interviewed, according to The Washington Post

Miawpukek Horizon Maritime Services, which owns the Polar Prince, did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment. The company told the Post that it is cooperating fully with authorities.

Related: Families of 'Titan' Sub Victims Could Still Sue OceanGate Despite Waivers, Legal Expert Says

The MBI’s main objective is to determine what caused the incident, Neubauer said at Sunday’s press conference.

Investigators are also tasked with determining if any laws were broken, and if further action should be taken, according to the Coast Guard’s press release, shared Sunday.

The MBI can make recommendations about criminal or civil sanctions “as necessary,” Neubauer explained.

Investigators will also assess “whether there is need for new laws or regulations,” or whether an “amendment or repeal of existing laws or regulations” is needed to avoid similar tragedies in the future, the Coast Guard said in its release.

“My primary goal is to prevent a similar occurrence by making the necessary recommendations to enhance the safety of the maritime domain worldwide,” Neubauer told reporters in Boston.

Related: 7 Former Sub Passengers Recount Their Harrowing Journeys to the 'Titanic' Wreck Site

The MBI “is working in close coordination” with authorities from various countries — including the U.S., Canada, France and the United Kingdom — as it investigates the tragedy, according to the Coast Guard.

A report will be issued at the conclusion of the investigation.

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.