Investigation into the sinking of the submarine Titan: testimonies and new evidence
21 september 2024 в 18:37
By the end of Friday, September 20, the Marine Commission of the US Coast Guard completed a week of testimonies from individuals close to the submarine Titan, which exploded in June 2023. Hearings are set to resume on Monday for the second week.
The incident, which confirmed the deaths of all five passengers after a four-day search, occurred during a deep-sea expedition conducted by OceanGate Inc. The mission was aimed at inspecting the wreckage of the Titanic. Less than two hours after the start of the dive, the submarine Titan exploded, raising concerns about its safety, construction, and materials used in its building.
This is all we know at the moment from the first week of testimonies in the two-week hearing set.
Efforts by the US Coast Guard have released new footage showing the wreckage of the submarine Titan on the ocean floor. The deep-sea vessel, marked with the «OceanGate» logo, is surrounded by scattered debris. The footage also shows the stern of the ship, as well as wires, sensors, and electronics. The images were captured by a remotely operated vehicle.
Mission specialist Renata Rojas, who voluntarily went on the trip on the Titan, testified before the US Coast Guard about her interactions with the crew before the dive.
Rojas teared up, recalling how she saw «five smiling people» before they boarded the Titan, saying: «They were just happy to go, that’s what I remember». She also described the moment of losing communication, asking her colleagues: «We haven’t heard from them; where are they?»
Having previously visited the Titanic with OceanGate, Rojas noted that the submarine Titan was neither classified nor registered. She acknowledged the risks but stated: «I knew that the dive to the Titanic was risky, but I never felt unsafe».
The five passengers on the Titan were Pakistani-British businessman Shahzad Davood, his 19-year-old son Suleiman Davood, British businessman Hamish Harding, former French Navy commander and submarine pilot Paul-Henri Nargele, and OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush.
Investigators revealed that the Titan had experienced over 100 equipment issues in the two years leading up to the tragedy, raising safety concerns from the beginning of the testimonies.
Tony Nissen, hired as the engineering director at OceanGate in 2016, testified that his relationship with CEO Rush «soured» as the Titan neared completion in early 2018. He noted that the submarine was struck by lightning that year, damaging its experimental carbon hull. Nissen was ultimately fired.
Former operations director David Lockridge testified that he warned the US Coast Guard that the carbon shell of the Titan had not been properly tested for deep-sea dives before his dismissal in 2018. He claimed that the whole idea of OceanGate was about «making money», - with «very little scientific approach». After his dismissal, Lockridge was sued by OceanGate for disclosing confidential information, to which he countersued for wrongful termination.
Patrick Lahey, co-founder of rival company Triton Submarines, expressed concerns to Rush about the design of the Titan, especially regarding the previous glass dome, emphasizing the need for proper certification.
Steven Ross, a marine scientist and crew member on dive 87 during the fourth Titan mission in 2023, testified that a platform failure forced all five passengers to rush to the back of the submarine for at least an hour.
Antonella Wilby, a former engineering contractor at OceanGate, stated that she considered warning the commission about a concerning incident during a dive on July 15, 2022. She recalled a meeting where a client reported hearing a loud impact «as loud as an explosion» upon resurfacing. Another colleague warned her against speaking up, assuming she risked legal action and accusing her of negligence
The incident, which confirmed the deaths of all five passengers after a four-day search, occurred during a deep-sea expedition conducted by OceanGate Inc. The mission was aimed at inspecting the wreckage of the Titanic. Less than two hours after the start of the dive, the submarine Titan exploded, raising concerns about its safety, construction, and materials used in its building.
This is all we know at the moment from the first week of testimonies in the two-week hearing set.
Efforts by the US Coast Guard have released new footage showing the wreckage of the submarine Titan on the ocean floor. The deep-sea vessel, marked with the «OceanGate» logo, is surrounded by scattered debris. The footage also shows the stern of the ship, as well as wires, sensors, and electronics. The images were captured by a remotely operated vehicle.
Mission specialist Renata Rojas, who voluntarily went on the trip on the Titan, testified before the US Coast Guard about her interactions with the crew before the dive.
Rojas teared up, recalling how she saw «five smiling people» before they boarded the Titan, saying: «They were just happy to go, that’s what I remember». She also described the moment of losing communication, asking her colleagues: «We haven’t heard from them; where are they?»
Having previously visited the Titanic with OceanGate, Rojas noted that the submarine Titan was neither classified nor registered. She acknowledged the risks but stated: «I knew that the dive to the Titanic was risky, but I never felt unsafe».
The five passengers on the Titan were Pakistani-British businessman Shahzad Davood, his 19-year-old son Suleiman Davood, British businessman Hamish Harding, former French Navy commander and submarine pilot Paul-Henri Nargele, and OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush.
Investigators revealed that the Titan had experienced over 100 equipment issues in the two years leading up to the tragedy, raising safety concerns from the beginning of the testimonies.
Tony Nissen, hired as the engineering director at OceanGate in 2016, testified that his relationship with CEO Rush «soured» as the Titan neared completion in early 2018. He noted that the submarine was struck by lightning that year, damaging its experimental carbon hull. Nissen was ultimately fired.
Former operations director David Lockridge testified that he warned the US Coast Guard that the carbon shell of the Titan had not been properly tested for deep-sea dives before his dismissal in 2018. He claimed that the whole idea of OceanGate was about «making money», - with «very little scientific approach». After his dismissal, Lockridge was sued by OceanGate for disclosing confidential information, to which he countersued for wrongful termination.
Patrick Lahey, co-founder of rival company Triton Submarines, expressed concerns to Rush about the design of the Titan, especially regarding the previous glass dome, emphasizing the need for proper certification.
Steven Ross, a marine scientist and crew member on dive 87 during the fourth Titan mission in 2023, testified that a platform failure forced all five passengers to rush to the back of the submarine for at least an hour.
Antonella Wilby, a former engineering contractor at OceanGate, stated that she considered warning the commission about a concerning incident during a dive on July 15, 2022. She recalled a meeting where a client reported hearing a loud impact «as loud as an explosion» upon resurfacing. Another colleague warned her against speaking up, assuming she risked legal action and accusing her of negligence
© Smirnova Olga
