Titan Submersible Disaster: Coast Guard Hearing Uncovers Alarming Safety Concerns and Overlooked Warnings
Staff Editor Coast Guard Panel Hears Troubling Testimony in Titan Submersible Investigation
A Coast Guard panel investigating last year’s Titan submersible disaster, which claimed five lives, has concluded four days of testimony that raised serious questions about potential warning signs that may have been overlooked. The panel is set to reconvene next week for an additional five days of hearings.
Lead engineer Tony Nissen provided compelling testimony about his refusal to pilot the Titan several years before the fatal accident. Nissen described feeling pressured to prepare the vessel and told OceanGate co-founder Stockton Rush, “I’m not getting in it.” He characterized Rush as a challenging employer, primarily focused on costs and schedules.
Scientific director Steven Ross revealed a concerning incident that occurred just days before the Titan’s final dive. Ross testified about a ballast problem that caused passengers to tumble inside the vessel, with one hanging upside down. Despite the alarming nature of the event, Ross was unaware if any safety assessments or hull inspections were conducted afterward.
Fred Hagen, a paid passenger on a 2021 mission, recounted another troubling incident where mechanical issues forced the abandonment of a dive. Hagen stated that the Titan could only make right turns and spin in circles, unable to navigate toward the Titanic wreckage.
Former operations director David Lochridge testified that he had filed a complaint with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration regarding safety concerns, but claimed it was not promptly investigated. Lochridge suggested that the tragedy might have been prevented if federal authorities had acted on his warnings.
However, not all testimony painted a negative picture of OceanGate’s operations. Renata Rojas, a member of the Explorers Club, stated that she found the company to be transparent and did not consider the operation unsafe. Rojas, who was volunteering with the surface crew at the time of the implosion, described some OceanGate personnel as hardworking individuals striving to fulfill dreams.
As the investigation continues, these testimonies provide crucial insights into the events leading up to the Titan submersible tragedy, raising important questions about safety protocols and oversight in deep-sea exploration ventures.
