Coast Guard Investigates Titan Submersible’s Fatal Implosion in Hearing

A key employee who previously deemed an experimental submersible unsafe took the stand on Tuesday before U.S. Coast Guard investigators. David Lochridge is one of the highly anticipated witnesses appearing before the commission tasked with investigating the Titan’s tragic implosion while en route to the Titanic wreck site last year, which resulted in the deaths of all five individuals on board.

Lochridge served as the former operations director for OceanGate, the company responsible for the Titan, which had made several dives to the Titanic since 2021. He has claimed he was terminated for voicing safety concerns long before the ill-fated voyage.

His testimony followed a day of hearings where other witnesses highlighted the company’s problematic history and an eagerness to deploy their uniquely designed vessel. This incident sparked a global conversation about the future of private undersea exploration and its safety implications.

Among the deceased was Stockton Rush, co-founder of OceanGate. Following the fatal incident, the company, headquartered in Washington state, has halted operations.

Former engineering director Tony Nissen opened the testimony sessions on Monday, sharing that he felt significant pressure to prepare the vessel for dives. Nissen even expressed a refusal to pilot the submersible several years prior to the final voyage. “I’m not getting in it,” he recounted telling Rush.

When questioned about pressure to deploy the Titan, Nissen emphatically replied, “100%.” However, when probed about whether this pressure impacted safety judgments and testing, he hesitated before stating, “No. And that’s a difficult question, because given infinite time and infinite budget, you could do infinite testing.”

Another witness, Bonnie Carl, the former finance and human resources director at OceanGate, testified that Lochridge labeled the Titan as “unsafe.” Lochridge is expected to elaborate on the factors leading to the implosion during his session.

At the outset of the hearing, U.S. Coast Guard officials noted that the Titan had not undergone independent review—a standard practice in the industry—raising eyebrows regarding the submersible’s unconventional design and safety protocols within the undersea exploration sector.

During the Titan’s last dive on June 18, 2023, communication was lost after a series of text exchanges concerning the craft’s depth and weight. The support ship, Polar Prince, sent multiple messages inquiring whether the Titan could still track the ship using its onboard display.

One of the Titan’s crew members relayed the last known message to Polar Prince, stating, “all good here,” moments before the submersible imploded, as indicated by a visual reconstruction shared earlier in the hearing.

Upon reporting the vessel overdue, rescue teams quickly mobilized ships, planes, and other equipment, targeting an area approximately 435 miles (700 kilometers) south of St. John’s, Newfoundland. Subsequent findings revealed Titan wreckage on the ocean floor, located about 330 yards (300 meters) from the bow of the Titanic.

Future hearings will include testimonies from OceanGate co-founder Guillermo Sohnlein and former scientific director Steven Ross, as noted by the Coast Guard. A wide array of officials, scientists, and industry representatives are anticipated to share their insights as well. Coast Guard spokesperson Melissa Leake confirmed that subpoena powers are being utilized to compel witnesses not employed by the government.

Notably absent from the witness list is Wendy Rush, Stockton Rush’s widow and the company’s communications director. When inquired about her lack of presence, Leake stated that the Coast Guard does not disclose reasons for not calling certain individuals during ongoing investigations. She emphasized that it is typical for a Marine Board of Investigation to conduct several hearing sessions or further witness depositions in complicated cases.

As of now, OceanGate does not have any full-time employees but will be represented by legal counsel during the hearings. The company asserts it has been fully cooperative with investigations conducted by the Coast Guard and the NTSB since their inception.

The investigation, initially expected to conclude within a year, has extended beyond that timeline. This Marine Board of Investigation represents the highest level of inquiry conducted by the Coast Guard into marine casualties. Upon conclusion of the hearings, recommendations will be forwarded to the Coast Guard’s commandant, while the National Transportation Safety Board continues its investigation.