In June 2023, OceanGate’s Titan submersible was lost during a dive to the Titanic. The Coast Guard investigation panel found no evidence that the crew members were aware of their peril. A purported transcript of communications during Titan’s final dive was proven to be fake. The crew members were said to have died instantaneously in the violent implosion of Titan’s carbon composite hull. The crew included pilot Stockton Rush, Titanic expert P.H. Nargeolet, British aviation executive Hamish Harding, and Pakistani-born business executive Shahzada Dawood and his son, Suleman. The fake transcript was widely distributed but the original source is unknown.
The investigation into the loss of Titan has been ongoing for nearly a year. Investigators have been reviewing records and evidence recovered from the sea floor to reconstruct the events leading up to the tragedy, determine the causes, and make recommendations for further action. OceanGate suspended all exploration and commercial operations after confirming the loss of Titan. A new CEO, Gordon Gardiner, was appointed to oversee the company’s shutdown. The Coast Guard memo called for a final report to be filed within a year, but due to the complexity of the evidence and jurisdictional issues, it may take two to three years to complete the report.
The investigative report published by Wired reveals technical problems that OceanGate encountered during Titan’s development. These problems were largely hidden from public scrutiny. The report discusses the roles that Boeing and the University of Washington played in OceanGate’s early years, as well as how CEO Stockton Rush glossed over the vessel’s shortcomings. The Coast Guard has not yet set a date for a public hearing to discuss the findings of the investigation.
The Coast Guard investigation panel has not found any evidence that the crew members of OceanGate’s Titan submersible were aware of their peril during a dive to the Titanic in June 2023. A fake transcript of communications during Titan’s final dive was circulated in the aftermath of the tragedy but was proven to be fabricated. The true transcript of communications between Titan and its mothership has not yet been released. The crew members were believed to have died in the violent implosion of Titan’s carbon composite hull.
OceanGate suspended all operations following the loss of Titan and appointed a new CEO to oversee the company’s shutdown. The investigation into the loss of Titan has been ongoing for nearly a year and may take two to three years to complete. An investigative report published by Wired highlights the technical problems OceanGate faced during Titan’s development, including issues that were not disclosed publicly. The Coast Guard has not yet announced a date for a public hearing to discuss the findings of the investigation.
The investigation into the loss of OceanGate’s Titan submersible is ongoing, with investigators reviewing records and evidence to determine the causes of the tragedy. The crew members, including pilot Stockton Rush and Titanic expert P.H. Nargeolet, were believed to have died instantaneously in the implosion of Titan’s hull. The original source of the fake transcript of communications during Titan’s final dive is unknown. The Coast Guard hopes to provide closure to the families of the crew members who may have worried about their loved ones’ last moments.
