OceanGate’s safety failures were directly responsible for the catastrophic 2023 Titan submersible implosion that killed all five people on board, this according to a new report released by the US Coast Guard this August 5.
The investigation identified eight key failures behind the disaster, including: inadequate design and testing, poor data analysis, use of unsuitable carbon fiber materials, gaps between written protocols and real-world operations, a toxic workplace culture, intimidation tactics to silence safety concerns, and a lack of proper regulatory oversight.
Officials called the tragedy “preventable,” pointing to OceanGate’s “critically flawed” practices. The victims included OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, Titanic expert Paul-Henry Nargeolet, British adventurer Hamish Harding, and British-Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his 19-year-old son Suleman.
Their deaths join a tragic history of submarine disasters. Click on to explore some of the worst underwater accidents ever recorded.