The U.S. Coast Guard has begun public hearings into the loss of OceanGate’s Titan submersible and its crew during a dive to the Titanic shipwreck. The official in charge of the hearings, Jason Neubauer, emphasized that there is still a lot more investigation to be done. The hearings are scheduled to run for two weeks in North Charleston, S.C., and will be livestreamed on YouTube. The focus of the hearings will be on the causes of Titan’s implosion, which resulted in the deaths of the five people on board, including OceanGate’s CEO Stockton Rush.
OceanGate suspended all exploration and commercial operations following Titan’s disappearance in June 2023. The public hearings will shed light on OceanGate’s activities, as former employees, contractors, and whistleblowers testify about their experiences with the company. Witness testimony will include former OceanGate employees, mission specialists who participated in previous dives, and representatives from the University of Washington, Boeing, and NASA. Experts have suggested that Titan suffered a catastrophic implosion due to a rupture in the carbon-composite hull or the seals between the hull and its titanium end caps.
Testimony from Triton Submarines CEO Patrick Lahey and other experts who warned OceanGate about the sub’s vulnerabilities will be presented during the hearings. The Coast Guard will focus on uncovering the facts surrounding the incident and detecting misconduct or negligence by mariners. Recommendations will be made to ensure similar incidents do not occur in the future. The Coast Guard and the National Transportation Safety Board will conduct independent analysis and finish reports following the hearings, which may include new regulations to address safety lapses.
The reports resulting from the hearings could lead to new regulations domestically and internationally, as well as potential legal action in civil lawsuits against OceanGate and other parties involved. The findings of the investigation will aim to prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future by implementing safety recommendations. The Coast Guard will work with other government agencies to follow up on their investigation. The hearings will provide an opportunity for those associated with OceanGate to speak publicly about their experiences and provide insights into what led to the loss of the Titan submersible.
