Almost two years following the Titan sub’s collapse in the Atlantic that resulted in the deaths of all five individuals on board, the U.S. Coast Guard has issued its highly anticipated final report. OceanGate, the owner of the ill-fated boat, “failed across the board,” the Marine Board of Investigation found, according to People. Their 300-page report, published August 5, cites crucial design deficiencies, inadequate oversight, and what the board characterized as a “toxic workplace culture.”
Investigators: “This Was Preventable”
Investigators did not hold back: “This marine casualty and the loss of five lives was preventable,” said Jason Neubauer, who chaired the probe.
Among the five fatalities in June 2023 were OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, Titanic historian Paul-Henri Nargeolet, UK businessman Hamish Harding, and Pakistani father-son pair Shahzada and Suleman Dawood.
Red Flags Ignored and Whistleblowers Silenced
The report does not mince words when it comes to OceanGate’s handling of internal safety concerns. According to People, the company is accused of firing or intimidating employees who raised red flags. Rush, the company’s late CEO, is singled out for misrepresenting Titan’s safety to both regulators and clients, leading to what the report called a “false sense of security.”
One of the most incriminating discoveries: OceanGate did not probe data from its 2022 Titanic journey that suggested potential hull problems. They also avoided doing any serious off-season maintenance beforehand before the 2023 expedition, said investigators.
The Coast Guard report includes 17 new safety recommendations everything from beefing up submersible regulations to closing international loopholes. Neubauer added, “There is a need for stronger oversight and clear options for operators who are exploring new concepts outside of the existing regulatory framework.”
Families Demand Accountability
Christine Dawood, who lost her husband and son in the implosion, issued a statement on behalf of her family.
“No report can alter the heartbreaking outcome. We believe that accountability and regulatory change must follow such a catastrophic failure. We hope this tragedy serves as a turning point,” the statement read, as per People.
OceanGate, which shut down operations shortly after the incident, told People it had focused its resources on cooperating with authorities. “We again offer our deepest condolences to the families of those who died,” the company said in a statement ahead of the report’s release.
