On Friday, September 20, the Board of Marine Investigations of the US Coast Guard has completed a week of testimony from individuals close to the submersible Titan, which exploded in June 2023. The hearing is set to continue on Monday for a second week.
The incident, which confirmed the death of all five passengers after a four-day search, occurred during a deep-sea expedition operated by OceanGate Inc. The mission was to see the wreckage of the Titanic. Less than two hours down, the Titan submarine exploded, raising concerns about its safety, design, and the materials used in its construction.
Here’s everything we know so far from the first week of testimony at the two-week meeting.
New Footage Reveals The Wreck Of The Titan Submersible
The US Coast Guard released new footage showing the wreckage of the Titan submarine on the ocean floor. The deep-sea ship, marked with the “OceanGate” logo, was surrounded by scattered debris. The footage also shows the ship’s tail, as well as cables, gauges, and electronics. The image was captured by a remotely operated vehicle.
New footage of the damaged submersible Titan has been released ahead of official hearings into the implosion during the Titanic expedition. pic.twitter.com/DLptBkKe8P
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) September 19, 2024
Witnesses Recall Last Look at Titan’s Body Before Falling
Mission specialist Renata Rojaswho volunteered for the Titan trip, testified before the US Coast Guard about his interactions with the crew before going down the sub.
Rojas became emotional as he recalled seeing “five smiling people” before boarding the Titan, saying, “They were just happy to go, that’s the memory I want to have.” He also described when communication was lost, asking colleagues, “We haven’t heard from them; where are they?”
After visiting the Titanic with OceanGate, Rojas noted that the Titan submarine was not classified or registered. He acknowledged the risks, but said, “I knew diving the Titanic was dangerous, but I never felt unsafe.”
The five passengers on the Titan were Pakistani-British businessmen Shahzada Dawoodhis 19-year-old son, Solomon DavidBritish businessman Hamish Hardingformer French Navy commander and submersible pilot Paul-Henri Nargeoletand CEO of OceanGate Stockton Rush.
The Last Words of the Crew Before the Tragic Explosion
Investigators​​​​reported that communication was not smooth during the descent.
One of the crew’s last messages before losing contact with the ship above water stated, “All is well here.” This message was sent about an hour into the dive to the support vessel Polar Prince at a depth of 3,346 meters.
Safety Concerns Announced Before Titan Explodes
Investigators​​​​ have said that the Titan had suffered more than 100 equipment problems in the two years leading up to the tragedy, raising safety concerns from the start of testimony.
Tony Nissenwho was hired as OceanGate’s director of engineering in 2016, testified that his relationship with CEO Rush was “sour” as Titan approached completion in early 2018. He noted that the submersible was struck by lightning that year, compromising the experimental carbon fiber hull. Nissen was eventually fired.
Former director of operations David Lochridge testified that he had warned the US Coast Guard that Titan’s carbon shell was not properly tested for deep-sea diving before he was fired in 2018. He claimed that “the whole idea” of OceanGate was “to make money,” with “very little in the way of science.” ” After his dismissal, Lochridge was sued by OceanGate for disclosing confidential information, which he sued for wrongful dismissal.
Patrick LaheThe co-founder of rival Triton Submarines, expressed his concerns to Rush about Titan’s design, especially about the previous glass dome, stressing the need for proper certification.
Steven Rossmarine scientists and crew members on Dive 87 during Titan’s fourth mission in 2023, testified that a platform malfunction caused all five passengers to be thrown to the back of the submersible for at least an hour.
Antonella Wilbya former engineering contractor for OceanGate, stated that he was thinking of alerting the board of a concerning incident during a dive on July 15, 2022. He recounted a debrief meeting in which a customer reported hearing a loud noise “loud like an explosion” when he resurfaced. . Another employee warned him not to speak, suggesting he risked legal action and accused him of not having an “explorer’s mind.”
“Anybody should be free to talk about safety without fear of retribution, and that’s not all I see,” Wilby said. “I got fired all over.”