 "OceanGate's ill-fated submersible imploded because of engineering failures, US report finds")
The deadly implosion of the Titan submersible en route to the Titanic wreck in June 2023 was caused by severe engineering failures, according to the final report released by the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The disaster claimed the lives of all five people on board.
What does the report say?
The report concluded that OceanGate, the private US-based company behind the submersible, failed to properly test the Titan’s structural integrity before its ill-fated dive. The carbon fibre pressure vessel at the heart of the design contained multiple structural flaws and did not meet required strength and durability standards.
OceanGate, based in Washington state, halted operations following the incident. Investigators found that the company lacked a clear understanding of the submersible’s limitations and did not comply with established emergency protocols. The NTSB noted that although no rescue would have been possible, proper adherence to emergency procedures could have saved valuable time and resources during the search efforts.
Among those killed was OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush. Also on board were renowned French diver Paul-Henri Nargeolet, often referred to as “Mr Titanic,” British entrepreneur Hamish Harding, and Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood, along with his 19-year-old son, Suleman.
OceanGate criticised for lack of oversight
The NTSB report also criticised OceanGate’s internal culture, citing testimonies from former employees. One former operations technician had raised concerns about the company’s disregard for safety standards and its efforts to avoid scrutiny from the US Coast Guard.
According to the report, the technician challenged the practice of labelling tourists as “mission specialists” and recalled OceanGate’s CEO saying that if the Coast Guard became a problem, “he would buy himself a congressman and make it go away.”
Impact Shorts
More ShortsThese findings mirror those of a U.S. Coast Guard report released in August, which described the Titan implosion as a preventable tragedy. That report also found major discrepancies between OceanGate’s documented safety protocols and the actual procedures followed during dives.
The Titan had been conducting trips to the Titanic site since 2021. On its final dive on June 18, 2023, it lost contact with its support vessel about two hours into the descent. A massive international search followed, but within days, authorities confirmed that the vessel had imploded, killing all on board instantly.
OceanGate declined to comment on the NTSB’s final report. After the earlier Coast Guard findings, the company issued condolences to the victims’ families but offered no further public statements.
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