OceanGate Passenger Testifies About Titan’s Past Malfunctions \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ During a U.S. Coast Guard hearing, Fred Hagen, a paying passenger on a 2021 Titanic expedition, revealed that his mission aboard OceanGate’s Titan submersible was aborted due to a malfunction. The testimony is part of an ongoing investigation into the 2023 implosion of the Titan during a dive to the Titanic wreck, which resulted in the deaths of five people. The hearing has raised concerns about OceanGate’s safety practices and its rush to conduct deep-sea expeditions.
OceanGate Investigations and Titan Submersible: Quick Looks
- Testimony on 2021 Dive: Fred Hagen testified that his 2021 mission aboard OceanGate’s Titan was aborted after the submersible began malfunctioning underwater.
- Previous Malfunctions: The starboard thruster failure caused the Titan to spin in circles, preventing the crew from reaching the Titanic wreck site.
- OceanGate Safety Concerns: Witnesses, including former employees, described a company focused on profits, often clashing over engineering concerns and safety practices.
- Titan Implosion 2023: The Titan imploded in June 2023, killing all five aboard, including OceanGate co-founder Stockton Rush. Investigations have scrutinized OceanGate’s lack of independent review and unconventional submersible design.
- Global Debate: The tragedy has ignited discussions about the future of private undersea exploration and the need for stricter safety regulations.
Deep Look:
On Friday, Fred Hagen, a paying passenger on a 2021 expedition to the Titanic with OceanGate, testified before a U.S. Coast Guard investigative panel, recounting how his mission was aborted due to a mechanical failure aboard the Titan submersible. Hagen, identified as a “mission specialist” for OceanGate, described how the sub’s starboard thruster failed during their dive, leaving the vessel spinning in circles and unable to navigate toward the Titanic wreck. The crew made the decision to resurface and scrap the mission after realizing they wouldn’t reach the site.
This testimony is part of a broader investigation into OceanGate’s operations, which came under scrutiny following the 2023 Titan implosion that claimed the lives of all five passengers, including OceanGate co-founder and pilot Stockton Rush. Hagen’s experience highlights longstanding concerns about the company’s safety protocols and engineering issues, which have been central to the hearing.
The 2021 Malfunction: A Warning?
Hagen, like others who paid to join OceanGate’s deep-sea missions, understood the risks involved. “Anyone that wanted to go was either delusional if they didn’t think that it was dangerous, or they were embracing the risk,” Hagen testified. He noted that during the 2021 mission, the submersible began malfunctioning after it appeared to be off course, prompting the crew to rely on its thrusters. When the starboard thruster failed, the sub became unable to make directional movements and could only spin in circles.
Realizing they couldn’t proceed, the crew dropped the weights to surface. The aborted mission underscored concerns about the Titan’s reliability, yet the sub continued to operate, with its 2023 mission ending in tragedy. OceanGate has suspended operations following the June 2023 disaster, which has sparked a global debate on the safety of private undersea exploration.
A Company Focused on Profit?
Testimony from former OceanGate employees during the hearing paints a picture of a company that prioritized profits over safety and innovation. David Lochridge, a former operations director, testified that he frequently clashed with Rush over safety concerns and felt the company was more focused on making money than conducting scientific exploration. “The whole idea behind the company was to make money,” Lochridge said, adding that scientific goals often took a backseat.
Witnesses also testified to internal disagreements regarding the submersible’s engineering. Dave Dyer, an engineer from the University of Washington Applied Physics Lab, recounted conflicts between the lab and OceanGate over the sub’s design. Dyer revealed that OceanGate eventually terminated the relationship with the lab, opting to take over the engineering process themselves. “We were butting heads too much,” Dyer said, reflecting on the tension between the lab’s recommendations and OceanGate’s ambitions to expedite the development of the Titan.
Patrick Lahey, CEO of Triton Submarines, testified that when he inspected OceanGate’s submersible in 2019, he wasn’t impressed by what he saw. Lahey emphasized the importance of independent accreditation for submersibles, a process OceanGate’s Titan notably did not undergo. “It looked to me like a lot of the stuff was not quite ready for primetime,” Lahey said, expressing concerns about the sub’s readiness for deep-sea exploration.
The 2023 Titan Implosion
The Coast Guard’s investigation into the June 2023 Titan implosion, which killed all five people aboard, including Stockton Rush, continues to probe the root cause of the disaster. The submersible was en route to the Titanic wreckage site, located about 435 miles south of St. John’s, Newfoundland, when it lost communication with its support ship, the Polar Prince. Wreckage from the sub was discovered four days later, about 330 yards from the Titanic.
During earlier testimony, Steven Ross, OceanGate’s scientific director, revealed that the Titan had experienced a malfunction just days before the ill-fated dive. Lochridge’s earlier concerns about the sub’s design and safety had been referred to OSHA, which subsequently passed them to the Coast Guard. Despite these warnings, OceanGate pressed on with its missions.
The implosion has raised serious questions about the future of private undersea exploration, particularly when it comes to adhering to safety standards. The Coast Guard noted that the Titan had not undergone independent review, a standard practice for submersibles used in commercial deep-sea exploration. The sub’s unconventional design and lack of accreditation have made it the subject of widespread criticism within the exploration community.
Differing Perspectives on OceanGate’s Vision
While many witnesses criticized OceanGate’s approach, not all testimonies painted a negative picture of the company. Renata Rojas, another mission specialist, described OceanGate as staffed by competent people who were passionate about deep-sea exploration. Rojas, who worked with the company, said she was impressed by the dedication of its employees and the vision they had for making deep-sea dreams a reality. “Some of those people are very hardworking individuals that were just trying to make dreams come true,” she said, offering a more optimistic view of the company’s mission.
Still, the implosion has led to a reckoning for the industry, with calls for stricter regulations and independent reviews for privately operated submersibles. The Coast Guard’s hearing, which has featured testimonies from engineers, former employees, and industry experts, is set to resume next week and will continue examining the safety practices that led to the Titan tragedy.
Global Debate on Private Undersea Exploration
The 2023 Titan implosion has triggered a worldwide debate about the future of private undersea exploration. The incident exposed gaps in regulatory oversight and the risks associated with experimental technologies used in extreme environments. The growing demand for commercial deep-sea tourism, spurred by companies like OceanGate, has prompted concerns about the adequacy of existing safety protocols.
As the investigation into the Titan’s implosion continues, the Coast Guard and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are working to determine the exact cause of the disaster. OceanGate, which suspended operations following the incident, has pledged full cooperation with the investigation. The findings from this probe could have far-reaching implications for the future of private ventures into the ocean’s depths.
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