The US Coast Guard’s investigation into the Titan submersible tragedy has unveiled details about the final moments before the vessel’s implosion, which resulted in the deaths of all five passengers on board. One of the final messages sent by the Titan was simply “all good here,” according to the hearing.
The Titan, operated by OceanGate, lost contact with its support ship, the Polar Prince, shortly after this message. The submersible was less than two hours into its dive towards the Titanic wreck when it imploded in June 2023. A remotely operated vehicle later captured an image of the Titan’s tail cone resting on the seabed.
The hearing, which began on Monday, seeks to uncover the causes of the disaster and prevent future occurrences. Investigators recreated the Titan’s journey, showing its last communication at a depth of 3,346 meters. Before losing contact, the submersible had reported dropping two weights.
Historical data presented at the hearing revealed troubling issues with the Titan. The vessel had faced 118 equipment failures during 13 previous dives, including a detachment of the front dome and thruster failures at extreme depths. The submersible’s hull had never undergone third-party testing and had been exposed to the elements while in storage.
Former OceanGate engineering director Tony Nissen described the evidence as “disturbing” and criticized Stockton Rush, the late CEO of OceanGate, for his rigid approach to engineering decisions. Nissen claimed that Rush’s decisions often resulted in significant compromises and persistent issues.
OceanGate has suspended all operations and currently operates without full-time staff, opting instead to be represented by legal counsel at the inquiry. The Marine Board of Investigations (MBI), responsible for the highest level of marine casualty inquiries in the US, is expected to hear from up to 10 former OceanGate employees and marine safety experts.
The investigation aims to address the unanswered questions surrounding the Titan’s doomed dive and is expected to contribute to future safety regulations in private undersea exploration. The MBI has the authority to recommend civil penalties or criminal charges, depending on their findings.
The Titan’s final journey, which involved British explorer Hamish Harding, French diver Paul Henri Nargeolet, British-Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood, his son Suleman, and Stockton Rush, ended with a global search effort involving multiple governments after the vessel failed to resurface on June 18, 2023.
