The U.S. Coast Guard recently wrapped up two weeks of public hearings looking into the loss of OceanGate’s Titan submersible and its crew. This tragic incident took place last year, resulting in the deaths of five individuals including the CEO of OceanGate, Stockton Rush. The sub imploded on June 18, 2023 while making its final descent to visit the wreck of the Titanic. The company has permanently shut down following this catastrophic event, leaving many questions and concerns regarding the development and safety of the Titan submersible.
OceanGate CEO, Stockton Rush, had a strong determination to dive to the Titanic despite warnings from employees and engineers both inside and outside of the company. Former employees, such as Matthew McCoy, expressed their concerns regarding OceanGate’s lack of Coast Guard clearances and regulations pertaining to taking clients on deep-ocean dives. Rush’s dismissive attitude towards regulations and his statement about buying a congressman to avoid Coast Guard interference highlighted a theme during the hearings. This attitude ultimately led to McCoy resigning from the company.
The Coast Guard’s response to the disappearance of the Titan sub played a significant role in the investigations. The search effort, led by Capt. Jamie Frederick, involved deploying ROVs capable of diving to Titanic depths in an effort to locate the sub. Reports of banging noises at sea raised concerns about trapped crew members, but the U.S. Navy confirmed that these were not human in nature. An acoustic anomaly picked up at the time the Titan disappeared added to the confusion surrounding the search efforts.
The Marine Board of Investigation, chaired by Jason Neubauer, has made it clear that the evidence presented during the hearings has already led to changes in procedures at the Coast Guard. Whistleblowers like David Lochridge have played a crucial role in providing information that would be crucial for future investigations. The investigative work is ongoing, and further hearings may be conducted if necessary. The National Transportation Safety Board will also issue a separate report to determine the probable cause of the accident.
The families and friends of the victims have been assured by Neubauer that the investigative efforts will continue, and all necessary changes will be recommended to prevent similar accidents in the future. The tragic loss of OceanGate’s Titan sub and its crew has raised important questions about safety regulations, oversight, and accountability in the deep-ocean exploration industry. The investigations are ongoing, and it is hoped that lessons will be learned from this tragedy to prevent similar incidents in the future. The final reports and recommendations from the Coast Guard and NTSB will provide further insight into the causes of the Titan tragedy and potential steps to ensure the safety of future deep-sea explorations.
