Mr. Okamoto later writes to the narrator and recalls the earlier interrogation as “difficult and memorable,” remembering Piscine Molitor Patel as “very thin, very tough, very bright.”

Mr. Okamoto’s essential report states that Pi, the sole survivor, cannot explain why the Tsimtsum sank. The ship appears to have gone down very quickly, suggesting a major hull breach, supported by the amount of debris, but the exact cause cannot be determined from the evidence.

The report notes there was no major weather disturbance in the area, and Pi’s description of the weather is judged impressionistic and unreliable; at most, weather may have contributed. Possible internal causes are considered: Pi thinks he heard an explosion, which could indicate engine or boiler failure, but this remains speculation; the ship’s age and refit history make structural fatigue a conceivable factor.

Other explanations are weighed and discounted: a collision with another ship is unlikely, impact with debris is possible but unverifiable, and a floating mine is deemed far-fetched and inconsistent with the sinking beginning at the stern. Pi doubts the crew’s fitness but has no specific complaints about the officers, and Oika Shipping Company claims its cargo was licit and that it knew of no staffing problems.

With no determinable cause, Mr. Okamoto recommends closing the case and proceeding with standard insurance procedures. As an aside, he praises Pi’s account as an unparalleled story of endurance, especially given the claim of surviving with an adult Bengal tiger, and the chapter ends with someone saying, “You can turn that off.”