Source – livemint.co
Witnesses have testified that OceanGate, the company behind the experimental deep-water submersible that tragically imploded, killing five people, prioritized profits over safety and ignored critical warning signs before the disaster. While some company officials emphasized the explorer spirit and taking calculated risks to expand human knowledge, others painted a picture of a business driven by financial gain at the expense of necessary precautions.
These conflicting viewpoints surfaced as the U.S. Coast Guard panel concluded two weeks of testimony investigating the Titan submersible disaster, which occurred at a depth of 12,500 feet (3,810 meters) near the Titanic wreck site. The goal of the hearings is to determine the root causes behind the catastrophic failure of the submersible, which was constructed with carbon-fiber material untested at such extreme depths.
Greed or Exploration? Conflicting Testimonies on OceanGate’s Priorities
The testimony revealed a stark contrast between those who viewed OceanGate’s mission as a noble endeavor to push the boundaries of deep-sea exploration and those who saw it as a reckless pursuit of profit. Guillermo Sohnlein, co-founder of OceanGate with the late Stockton Rush, spoke of their ambition to provide greater access to the deep ocean, describing the use of carbon fiber in the sub’s design as a calculated risk. Sohnlein noted that Rush himself had been the first to test the design and insisted that carbon fiber’s use in the pressure hull was not a new concept.
However, former operations director David Lochridge painted a very different picture, claiming that the company’s primary goal was to make money, with little focus on scientific advancements. “The whole idea behind the company was to make money,” Lochridge testified. “There was very little in the way of science.”
Adding to the controversy, witnesses could not even agree on how to classify the wealthy clients who paid $250,000 for the once-in-a-lifetime experience of diving to the Titanic wreck. While some considered them mere passengers, OceanGate marketed them as “mission specialists” who were assigned tasks during the voyage.
Technical Failures and Warnings Ignored Before the Tragedy
Much of the testimony focused on the carbon-fiber hull of the company, which experts suggested was unsuitable for repeated deep-sea expeditions. Roy Thomas, a senior engineer at the American Bureau of Shipping, testified that although carbon fiber is strong and lightweight, it is difficult to manufacture and prone to fatigue failure. He also explained that saltwater could exacerbate the material’s degradation over time, increasing the risk of failure during repeated dives.
Several witnesses revealed troubling incidents that occurred during earlier descents. Scientific director Steven Ross recalled a previous dive in which the company became unstable due to a ballast problem, causing passengers to crash into the bulkhead. There were also reports of loud cracking noises heard during previous dives, a potential sign of structural issues.
Despite these warnings, OceanGate proceeded with the Titan’s final dive on June 18, 2023. According to testimony, the last communication between the submersible and its support ship, the Polar Prince, was a simple message: “all good here.” Minutes later, contact was lost, and the company imploded, killing Rush and four others on board, including Paul-Henri Nargeolet, a renowned underwater researcher. The sub’s wreckage was found near the Titanic’s bow after a large-scale rescue operation.
The Coast Guard’s inquiry has raised questions about the safety standards surrounding experimental submersibles and the lack of independent review before Titan’s fatal voyage. The investigation continues as families of the victims, including Nargeolet’s relatives, pursue legal action against OceanGate, accusing the company of gross negligence.
Also Read: Titan Submersible Tragedy: Marine Board of Investigation Begins Hearings
