Date: 2/6/2009
A federal judge in Virginia, USA, is poised to preserve the largest collection of artefacts from the ocean liner and protect the shipâs resting place. US District Judge Rebecca Beach Smith is expected to rule that the salvaged items must remain together and accessible to the public. A cadre of government lawyers is helping to shape covenants to strictly monitor future activity at the Titanic. Amid evidence of the shipâs deterioration, experts and lawyers say the sanctity must be protected as a memorial to the 1,522 people who died when she went down.